The Red Swordsman: Toa of Aincrad
by Mataras
Summary: How much of a difference would one other player with the skills of a beater have made in Kirito's life, and all of those that he came to call his friends and family? The answer lies in the actions of a young man named Mataras, who will fight with and for those he calls his family in Aincrad and beyond, in the world of the Bionicle. Disclaimers on SAO and Bionicle.
1. The Law of the Sword

**A/N: Okay guys, this is probably going to be the last series that I do, although that may change in the future. I plan on following this story at least through the Fairy Dance Arc, but I'm not sure after that. This is essentially a self-insert, as though I were in the story alongside Kirito and co.**

**I hope you enjoy this fanfiction as much as I have enjoyed writing it, if not more so.**

* * *

The Law of the Sword

Kirito finished adding Asuna to his party before he noticed another person sitting alone, apart from the others. They were dressed in a black-and-red cloak, and they stood a stiff as a statue. Looking at the girl beside him, he asked, "Hey, do you mind if I ask that guy to join us?"

"Not really," she replied. "The more in our party, the better chance we have a surviving this boss raid, I guess." And with that, she up and left, clearly indicating that the choice was his to make.

Kirito shrugged and walked over to the person. From the build, he could tell that the player was male, but like Asuna, his face was shadowed by his cowl. "Hey there," he said as he extended his hand.

The other player looked up slightly, but not enough to reveal his features. He shook Kirito's hand readily enough, but he did not speak. Since he seemed to be the silent type, Kirito pulled open his menu and said, "So… Do you want to join up in a party? It's only going to be for this round, if you're not comfortable with a group setting. But you heard-"

"Are you going to keep babbling, or are you going to send me an invite?" the other boy interrupted. His voice was somewhat deep and had a vibrant tone, leading Kirito to believe that this player might be a bit older than him. "Yes, I'll join you."

"Oh," Kirito said. He sent the invite, and the other player accepted. Another health bar appeared in Kirito's peripheral vision, along with the name 'Mataras'. Kirito was surprised to see that this player's level matched his own already.

"Kirito, is it?" Mataras asked. "So you'd be Japanese, then."

"Yeah," Kirito replied, somewhat startled that this player had figured out his ethnicity so quickly. In Aincrad, everyone sounded like they were speaking their own native language, due to a high-tech translator system. "And, Mataras? What is that, European?"

"I'd be American, if anything," Mataras replied. "But I'm living in Japan right now, and my name is Spanish origin. Although in the light of the nature of this game, I really wish I could change it now."

"Why's that?" Kirito prompted.

"It means 'you kill," Mataras replied dryly. "I wasn't planning on being a player killer or anything like that, but now if people see my name, they might get the wrong idea."

"Oh," Kirito said again, somewhat surprised. "But, wait, why are you telling me this if you're worried about people getting the wrong idea?"

"You asked," Mataras replied simply. "And you're the first person to want to interact with me without asking for some freebies. I figured I'd show a little gratitude." Standing up, he threw back the cowl on his cloak.

The pale face it revealed was no older than sixteen. The black hair was straight and lengthy, partially obscuring his left eye. The jaw was strong, and the eyebrows thick. The nose was a little on the larger side, but not so much that it made the boy look ugly. The mouth was set in a firm line, and the serious eyes were dark brown- so dark as to nearly be black.

The way he stood showed that he knew how to carry himself properly, with his back straight and his chin slightly pointed upwards. He was of slim build, but there was no mistaking the look of confidence that he had about him. The sword on his back proved that he had every right to carry himself as such.

The sword was called a fakora, and it granted enough stat boosts to keep a player going strong until at least level five or so. It was only awarded for one quest on the first floor. When in the beta, Kirito had heard about it, but when he tried to go for it this time around, he had found that the quest was already completed.

This likely meant that Mataras was a beta tester as well, if he had been able to get ahold of the quest so quickly. Kirito was tempted to ask his new teammate about his player history, but decided against it. If he was wrong, with all the trouble that Kibaou was trying to stir up, he could very well lose a party member.

"Done looking?" Mataras said, snapping Kirito out of his thoughts.

"What?" he said. "Oh, yeah. Uh… So do you want to go get some lunch, or…?"

"I have a lunch already packed," Mataras replied. "I was gonna go do some more levelling before tomorrow's raid and eat on the way. Would you care to join me? And maybe that girl that you were talking to before? Asuna?"

"Hm… I can message her, but she didn't seem too interested in joining in any group activities," Kirito replied as he pulled up his message function on the menu. Mataras shrugged and waited for Kirito to finish his message before beginning to walk towards the field dungeon.

* * *

They didn't see Asuna until later that evening in the village again, after they had spent their afternoon levelling up and selling their spoils. Kirito and Mataras were easily able to adapt to the team fighting system. They quickly grew a mutual respect for one another, both as people and as swordsmen.

Mataras noticed that Kirito was warm and friendly, but he tended to avoid other people that were lower level than him. Not out of a sense of superiority, but out of a sense of isolation. He knew that beta testers weren't well-liked due to their natural advantages over the other players, so he seemed to want to avoid causing a scene.

Kirito, on the other hand, couldn't really figure Mataras out. Towards himself, Mataras was nice enough, even going so far as to share his lunch with him. But to the few other players that they ran into, he was nothing short of cold and barely cordial. And Kirito couldn't really understand why, but he decided that it didn't matter. After this boss raid, they would likely part ways and barely ever interact again. After all, they were both solo players.

And speaking of solo players, they both spotted Asuna sitting alone, away from the gathering of front liners. Mataras actually chuckled to himself as he said, "She stole my spot."

"What, you're gonna go kick her off of it?" Kirito grinned.

"No," Mataras replied. "I'm just going to see if she objects to us joining her."

"I thought you didn't like hanging around others," Kirito said as his partner began walking towards the girl.

"I don't like hanging around incompetent people," Mataras replied quickly. "And if she's made it this far on her own like you did, I'd hardly call her incompetent." He approached the girl silently and sat down a couple of feet away from her.

She eyed him warily as he pulled out a loaf of bread and began to eat it in silence. Kirito sighed and sat down between them, Asuna shifting away from them both a little more than necessary.

Noticing that she had the same meal as the two of them, Kirito realized how he could break the ice. "These things taste pretty good, don't they?" he said.

Asuna stopped her chewing and swallowed before cocking her head at Kirito. "You really think these taste good?" she asked.

"They do," Mataras answered, seeing where Kirito was going. "But Kirito taught me a trick to make it better." With that, he pulled out a jar from his inventory and handed it to Kirito. Tapping his finger on the lid, Mataras used the glowing residue that came off to spread a certain substance over his own biscuit.

Asuna's curiosity was piqued enough that she tried it herself. Kirito used the last of the item, causing the container to shatter into a number of polygons that quickly faded from existence. Copying Mataras' actions, she was surprised to find that her bread was now smeared with- "Butter?" she asked.

Kirito nodded and started munching down his dinner. Mataras just started eating without a word. Asuna looked at the bread for another moment, wondering if it might actually improve the plain flavor that had been her usual meals for nearly a month. She took a bite and chewed slowly, unaware of Mataras' eyes on her, waiting to see her reaction. To his surprise, she finished eating with great gusto, wolfing down the food faster than Kirito.

Asuna sighed with contentment. Even if it was a simple adjustment, that was easily the best food she'd had while in Aincrad. Mataras nodded approvingly to himself and finished eating his own dinner in silence.

Kirito, mistaking Mataras' silence for icy formality, tried to warm things up by saying, "So, Asuna. Would you like to know how to get more of that stuff?" He was prepared to explain that once you completed a certain quest, you could unlock the item in stores, but Asuna didn't give him the chance.

"No thanks," she said softly. "I really appreciate the offer, but I didn't come here to eat good food."

"Then why are you here?" The question came from Mataras, who kept his own gaze on the fountain in the town square. His tone was not hostile, but genuinely curious.

Asuna seemed to gather her thoughts before saying, "Because I want to stay true to who I am. I don't wanna lock myself away in the Town of Beginnings and slowly rot away. I want to stay me until the end of this game, even if the end is my death. That way I'll have beat this Death Game before it even begins."

Kirito could think of nothing to say to that, but he didn't expect what Mataras said next. "A noble idea," he said with a smile that to Kirito, seemed almost sad. "But before you go trying to stay the same, ask yourself two things: first, are you who want to be now? And second, even if your experiences in this world do change you against your will, is that necessarily a bad thing?"

"What are you talking about?" Asuna asked, turning sharply to the swordsman. "Everything about this game is evil- how could you suggest that any good might come out of it?"

"I'm older than I look," Mataras simply replied as he stood. "And I've lived long enough to know that even though some would mean certain things for evil, they can still be worked towards good." With that, he walked off to find an inn to spend the night at.

"He's older than he looks?" Asuna repeated. She turned to Kirito, who looked just as confused as she felt. "What does that mean? Everyone looks exactly like they do in the real world, right? The mirrors saw to that- didn't they?"

Kirito could only shrug his shoulders in response.

* * *

The next day, the raid party grouped up and set out to find the boss' lair. Asuna and Mataras both walked with their hoods up, making Kirito feel slightly out of place, but he didn't comment on the matter.

It turned out that Asuna had no real idea how to play in a party, so Kirito and Mataras walked her through the various strategies and commands that went into a party fight. They stayed a bit behind the main group to have a little privacy for themselves.

Once that was done, Asuna turned to Mataras and said, "Did you avoid using the mirror, Mataras?" Although his cowl was up, Asuna had the feeling that the other player had raised his eyebrow in an amused gesture at the question.

"No," he replied with a small smirk. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you only look a little older than me, so I was wondering about your comment last night," she admitted, a little nonplussed.

Mataras chuckled softly in response. "Appearance and age don't always move at the same pace," he said. "But it also depends on what kind of aging you're thinking about. For example, if you are referring to my biological age, then yes, I am as young as I look. But if you take into account the things that I have lived through, then you'd know that an old soul rests within this young body."

"So… Long story short, you've had a troubled childhood?" Kirito asked.

"Something like that," the cloaked swordsman replied.

"Am I ever going to get a straight answer from you?" Asuna demanded.

"Perhaps someday, when you earn it," Mataras replied, traces of amusement back in his voice. The tone annoyed his teammate, but she decided not to press the matter. It was clear that if Mataras didn't want to give an answer, he wasn't going to give one, no matter the person's status or demands.

* * *

After battling their way through the dungeon for a couple of hours, the party reached the boss room. Everyone took a short break time to check and make use of their inventory. Kirito, Asuna, and Mataras were positioned in the rearguard to provide backup and hold off the sentinels. If it came down to it, they were to attack the boss, should the first part of the plan go awry. Kirito wasn't sure if they were being treated as aces, or if they had just been snubbed because they were the smallest group.

But the time for wondering was over. Diabel, the raid leader, opened the doors and led the charge inside the room. At first the place was just a cold grey tone all around. But then the boss leaped down from its throne and let out a roar that shook the hall. The floors and walls seemed to respond to the sound, lighting up with myriad of colors of all kinds.

The boss was called Illfang the Kobold Lord, and as soon as it hit the floor, its armored minions began to spawn. The boss itself towered over all the players, measuring several meters in height. To Mataras, it looked like a big, fat, red kangaroo with an axe and a buckler.

Had this not been a life-and-death game, he would have laughed at the sight. But Diabel called his group into action, ordering them to take out the minions. Kirito moved forward in response to block the first blow from one of the mobs, deflecting it with a sword skill. He leaped backwards, calling Asuna out to switch in and stab the creature with her own skills.

Her speed and ferocity impressed both Kirito and his hooded companion- the tip of her rapier moved so fast, they could barely keep track of where she was stabbing her adversary. This combo alone was able to fell one of the minions, leaving Mataras to take the lead for the next monster to appear.

When it came, Mataras surprised both Asuna and Kirito by sliding under the enemy's blow instead of parrying it. Springing upwards, the young man slashed at his opponent, landing a critical hit on its face and killing it instantly. What surprised his teammates more than anything was that he had one-shot the monster without any skills being activated.

But there was no time to question his fighting style as he called for Kirito to switch in for the next minion. Casting aside their questions for now, Asuna and Kirito moved into position.

Nearly twenty minutes of fighting later, Illfang's last health bar dipped into the red zone, and the monster retreated briefly with a roar. As predicted by the guidebook, the monster cast aside his weapon and shield. But unlike the guidebook that Mataras had read, Illfang pulled out an odachi instead of a talwar.

Before he could warn the others though, Diabel was telling everyone to move aside. Mataras' eyes widened as he realized that the man intended to take on the boss alone. Before he could call out to the leader, though, someone beat him to it.

"No, don't!" Kirito shouted as Diabel activated a sword skill. "It's no good!"

His warning came too late. An odachi was longer in reach than a talwar, meaning that Illfang could attack from outside the range of Diabel's cavalry sword. The boss struck twice, faster than Diabel could anticipate. The second blow sent him flying next to Kirito's group.

Kirito trusted Asuna and Mataras to keep the sentinels off of him while he ministered to Diabel. "What the hell were you thinking?" he muttered as he tried to give Diabel a potion before his health ran out. To his shock, Diabel refused to take the item.

"You knew," he whispered to Kirito. "You were… a beta tester?"

"You're just like me, aren't you?" Kirito asked in response. "You were after the last attack bonus- the rare item."

Diabel gave a weak grin, his health points down to a shred. "Your friends there… You have to beat the boss… for everyone here…" His health bar disappeared. Then so did he.

Mataras' eyes widened in rage as he saw Diabel vanish. He had been a good leader, despite his underhanded attempt at trying to get the drop item that would no doubt be dropped should he defeat the boss. Of all the people that had to die, why did it have to be him?

_Greed_, he thought, pushing the other thoughts aside. _No matter how noble he appeared, he wanted to make himself stronger in the end, even if it meant doing something underhanded. Heh. You and I weren't so different, were we? I'm sorry Diabel. The least I can do is honor your last wish._

He and Asuna stood beside Kirito, weapons ready. Asuna's jaw was set, and her posture was radiating determination. Mataras' eyes blazed with anger at the Kobold Lord, and at the world from which it came. Kirito stood up and said, "You guys with me?"

"What does it look like?" Mataras growled menacingly, his glare fixed on the boss, which was now swatting the other players like flies.

"I'll go with you, yeah," Asuna added.

Kirito nodded and the three of them dashed forward. "Let's do this just like the minions!" he cried. "One of us counters, the others attack right after!"

"Who blocks?" Mataras asked just before they got in range.

"Me!" Kirito swung his blade to counter the odachi, moving in fast to get inside the range of the long weapon. When the weapon was knocked back, Asuna used her superior speed to get behind the boss and stab it multiple times while Mataras opened a large wound across the monster's chest.

When it attempted to retaliate, Mataras ducked the blow just in time. He noticed that the boss' health was almost completely gone, and he could land the final blow to end the fight then and there. Instead, he called out, "Switch!"

Not sure why he was doing this, Kirito switched in as Illfang spun around and slashed at Asuna. He missed killing her, but the blow shredded her cloak, dissolving it into polygons. This gave Kirito the perfect opportunity to land the final blow and destroy the first boss.

Letting out his war cry, Kirito swung his blade with all the power he could, laying open Illfang's back and causing it to glow brightly as its final health points depleted. The monster let out one last ear-splitting roar before shattering into thousands of blue and green shards.

The three victors hardly took notice of the fact that they had received a generous amount of col, nor the stat boosts that came from a double level-up, or even that the room had settled back to normal. They were all just too tired to care.

"That was some fine swordsmanship," a deep voice said, followed by a hand that helped Kirito rise from his slouched position. Mataras recognized Agil, the man that had spoken in the defense of the beta testers. "Today's victory is thanks to you three."

Kirito shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "We wouldn't have gotten this far without Diabel. He's the reason we're here."

"Then why'd you let him die, huh?!" a broken, angry voice shouted from the back of the room. The voice belonged to Kibaou, the man that had tried to pin the blame of the S.A.O. incident on the beta testers.

"What are you talking about, you fool?" Mataras asked in a low voice that still carried in the silence of the boss room.

"You heard me!" the man ranted. "Your partner saw what was coming! He knew the boss' attack pattern and weapon! So why didn't he tell us?!"

"Because this wasn't like the beta!" Kirito shouted back. Dead silence followed that particular comment. The young swordsman held his gaze at those that looked accusingly at him. Only those close to him saw his brow sheen with a nervous sweat.

"That's right," Kirito said, feigning confidence. "I _was_ in the beta test. And even though I may not have known that Illfang was going to have that weapon this time around, I definitely knew the skill set that would come with it.

"Why? Because unlike the most of the other testers, I actually knew what I was doing to begin with. Most of the other people that scored a slot in the beta were so green, they didn't even know how to level up. Heh, you guys are even better than they were." As he was speaking, Kirito was actually advancing on his accuser, causing Kibaou to eye him warily.

"But me? I'm nothing like those guys," Kirito was actually managing to imitate an evil grin. "During the beta, I made it to floors higher than anyone else. _That's_ how I knew the boss' attack patterns- because I've fought monsters on higher levels with even better skill sets and weapons." Kirito was now only a few feet away from Kibaou, which is where he stopped walking forward.

"I know a bunch of other things," Kirito added. "More than you can imagine- more than any info broker." Now he waited to see what the reaction from the others would be.

"If that's true…" Kibaou snarled. "Then you're worse than a beta tester- you're a goddamn cheater, that's what you are!"

Others began to take up the call as Mataras joined Kirito in the case of a fight. "Cheater!" someone called.

"Hacker!" cried another.

"He's a beta tester and a cheater!" still another snapped. "He's… he's a beater!"

To their shock, Kirito's dark smile widened as he accessed his menu. "A beater," he repeated. "Yeah, that's good. I like it."

"Wait, what?!" Kibaou sputtered.

"Go ahead and call me a beater," Kirito said nonchalantly. "Just don't confuse me with those other testers again. It's not cool." With that, he equipped the Midnight Coat and began walking out of their midst. But his accusers had one last barb to cast.

"So you think you're better than us, you son of a-" Kibaou's voice was silenced by the presence of a blade at his throat. The sword scratched his neck, leaving a red mark and causing his health to dip down into the red zone. The man found the eyes of the one wielding it to be even more frightening than Illfang's mightiest roar.

Mataras' dark eyes blazed with the wrath of an impending storm. They were devoid of any patience, pity or compassion. They were the eyes of a man ready to kill without hesitation. Kibaou found that the sight locked up his vocal chords, which was exactly what Mataras wanted.

"Are you aware of the law of the sword?" the boy said in a quiet tone that was somehow more frightening than any amount of yelling that Kibaou had expected. When the loudmouth didn't respond, Mataras continued, "The law of the sword is this: if he is more dedicated than you, he will win. Kirito has more drive than anyone here, and _that's_ why he won against Illfang. You were just happy to sit back and let others do the heavy work, Kibaou. That's why at the end of every encounter, you will be the loser. Not because he was a beta tester, not because he has become a beater. But simply because he has the drive to win. Because he understands the law of the sword."

Against anyone else, Kibaou would have shouted obscenities at them. But seeing the look in Mataras' eyes, remembering his skill against Illfang and his minions, and taking note of how fast that blade had appeared at his throat, Kibaou decided to content himself with plotting the two boy's humiliation at a later date.

Seeing that nobody was going to give Kirito any further difficulties, Mataras sheathed his sword and began following Kirito. When they reached the top of the stairs, Kirito looked Mataras in the eye for a moment before pulling up his menu. "I guess this is good-bye," he said as he went to dissolve their party.

"No, it's not," Mataras shook his head slightly as Asuna walked up. "She should try to distance herself from us, but I'll stick with you."

"Why?" Both Asuna and Kirito were surprised.

"Well, they all hate you and me," Mataras replied. "But you, Asuna? You can still claim innocence. You can still become part of a guild, be a part of the assault team. But if you hang around us, you'll be a leper. No one will want anything to do with you. It's best if you find someone you trust and join up with them."

Asuna hesitated, not wanting to admit that what the enigmatic sword-user said made sense. But it did. So she opened her menu and left the party. Then she walked away from the two boys without another word, her expression unreadable. They watched as she went to talk to Agil before moving on to trigger the next floor's warp gate.

"Maybe when things die down, we can meet again on better terms," Mataras said quietly.

"Maybe," Kirito repeated. "Thanks, Mataras."

"For what?"

"In this death game, it'll be real handy having you around," the black-coated swordsman answered. "So thanks for sticking your neck out for me."

"No problem," Mataras replied. "I couldn't just let you take all of that heat on your own. That was… noble of you, to offer yourself to their hate like that. Not many people would have done as much."

Nothing more was said as the two friends entered the second floor of Aincrad.


	2. Red Stains

Red Stains

"Here's to us, the Moonlit Black Cats! And to the guys that saved our lives!" A player with yellow hair said as he raised his cup aloft. "Kirito and Mataras!" His teammates echoed the cheer, causing both players to shift uncomfortably. They weren't used to being in the spotlight, and they preferred it that way.

But could they really be surprised? Kirito thought to himself. The five players had been seconds away from being slaughtered when Mataras had spotted them alongside his partner while doing some afternoon grinding. Being the way that they were, they ended up rescuing the group, which turned out to be a small guild called the Moonlit Black Cats.

As thanks for saving them, the guild's leader, a young man named Keita, insisted on treating them to dinner. Which led them to where they were now- seated at the end of the table and receiving praise from a bunch of strangers.

"Uh, cheers, guys," Kirito mumbled awkwardly.

"Yeah, thanks!" Keita grinned.

"Thank you so much," the only girl said timidly. "I thought that we were gonna die out there… And… it made me so happy when you came, I just…" The girl stopped and turned to wipe away a tear as Keita leaned in closer to ask Kirito a question.

"Kirito, sir?" he said in a lower tone. "I hope I'm not out of line in asking this, but… What level are you guys?"

"Level… twenty," Kirito answered, shifting uncomfortably again. Mataras almost spilled his drink in surprise. He and Kirito were level forty, not twenty! What was his partner up to?

Keita didn't seem to notice Mataras' reaction as he gasped. "Wow! You're the same level as us, but you're just a party of two?! You're an inspiration, sir!"

"Keita," Kirito sighed. "I'm not your superior, and being in a small party like this means that we're always hunting out in the boonies- it's not very efficient."

"Oh," Keita grinned sheepishly. "Well, then in that case… I hate to spring this on you guys like this, but… If you want, we'd love to have you in our guild!" Kirito and Mataras' eyes snapped up to meet Keita's, surprised to see that he was serious.

"See, right now, our mace-wielder, Tetsuo, is the only one we can put out front right now. And then there's Sachi." Keita grinned as he patted the blue-haired girl affectionately on the head. "I was thinking of having her switch to sword and shield so we could put her on the front lines."

"Well, that'd be a mistake," Mataras interjected, surprising the guild and his partner. When Sachi gave him an injured look, he elaborated, "Not having her on the front lines. I meant the shield part. If you want to become really distinguished on the front, you need to lose the shield. The speed reduction is what caused you guys to take all those hits you did."

"Oh…" Sachi said sadly. "Then I think I'll stick to what I have. I'm… I'm not really that useless." She looked very disappointed as she spoke.

"Nope," Mataras said as he shook his head before draining his cup. "You can't just settle for 'not being useless' in this game. So that's why you're going to have to start tomorrow morning with this guy." He pulled out his inventory and handed Sachi a basic sword across the table that he had got off of a monster drop earlier that week.

"Oh!" she said in surprise. She took the sword gingerly and added it to her inventory.

She then started to get some col to pay Mataras back, but he made a gesture for her to stop. "As long as I get to pair up with Sachi, I'm in," he said.

"What?!" Kirito was nothing less than surprised. Kirito knew Mataras well enough by this point to know that players on the level of the Moonlit Black Cats were not people that he would associate himself under normal circumstances. What was going on with him?

"Can we speak in private for a moment, Mataras?" he asked.

"Sure," he said as he rose to go walk with Kirito to the bar. "We'll be right back," he said as he waved back at the small guild.

When they were out of earshot, Kirito turned and asked his partner sharply, "What the hell are doing?!"

"I could ask you the same, minus the profanity," Mataras replied dryly. "Yes, I know, they're lower levels than us, and I don't normally hang out with people like that. But that's because most of them are lazy- not these guys. And if you must know, Sachi resembles someone very dear to me- someone I lost. Are you satisfied?"

Kirito was at a loss for words at this point. His reason for lying seemed pretty shallow now. "Oh," he muttered. "Well, I… I, uh… I just thought… if they knew our real levels, they'd probably peg us as beaters, and then they wouldn't want to hang around us anymore."

"So you're feeling lonely," Mataras smirked.

"Well… yeah, I guess."

"What, I'm not entertaining enough?"

Kirito sighed heavily. "Very funny," he muttered. "Now are we gonna go over there and sign up, or what?" Mataras clapped his hand over Kirito's shoulder and grinned slightly as they walked back to the expectant faces of the players.

Mataras smiled at Sachi and said, "We're in- both of us."

"Yeah!" Keita crowed as the others moved in to welcome their newest members.

* * *

The next day, Sachi surprised Mataras by knocking on his and Kirito's door early in the morning, already equipped with the sword that he had given her the night before. The young man was pleased to see that she was ready to take on her weapon change so readily.

He told her to wait outside while he changed and got himself equipped. He blearily pulled up his menu and equipped his red cloak, fringed with black, along with his black shirt and pants. His sword was much like Kirito's black one that had the moon emblem on it, save for that his own cross guard was dark red with the emblem of the sun on it.

Pulling up his cowl so that his face was mostly hidden, he exited the room quietly, trying not to wake Kirito- although he knew by this point that very little could wake the kid when he was all the way asleep.

He met Sachi outside the tavern that they had stayed at. He greeted her with the standard 'good morning' while taking a moment to assess her equipment. As far as her level went, the things she was wearing would do for now.

"All right," he said. "You got me up early. So what do you want to do today?"

"Well, I already left Keita a note saying that I'd be doing whatever kind of training you said to do today," Sachi said shyly. "So it's up to you. You're the teacher, right?"

"That's true…" Mataras mused. "Well, as far your stats go, you should be fine, even on this floor, as long as I'm with you. But your sword's durability will wear out really fast if we start using it up here, so I think we'll go to a lower floor for today, and work our way up while I teach you to use a sword. Sound okay?"

"Yeah," she answered, even though it was clear that she was nervous.

"Don't worry," he said as he waved at her to follow him to the town gate. "I'll take care of you, no problem." _I won't fail this time_, he added silently.

* * *

As the weeks went by, Sachi became more and more competent with her sword under Mataras' tutelage. Mataras and Kirito kept up their own training regime in secret, even managing to get in on a boss raid without tipping the others off to their beater status.

Every now and again, they would run into Asuna, who only treated them with frosty politeness.

Tetsuo and the others decided to keep the skill set that they already had, despite Kirito and Mataras' offers to train them otherwise. Even so, the guild definitely began to see its best days with the two swordsmen to swell the ranks.

Mataras and Kirito got along well with their teammates, despite the fact that they all knew one another in real life, and they did not. The Moonlit Black Cats were friendly, warm people, and Kirito felt right at home with all of them.

Mataras preferred to spend his time with Sachi and Kirito for the most part, but he did hang out with the others around dinner and hunting times. It wasn't that he didn't like them, he was simply uncomfortable in groups of people that he didn't know very well.

One night after Kirito and Mataras had gone off to do some late night hunting, they received a message from Keita. It read, "Kirito/Mataras, Sachi has run off and we have no idea where she's gone off to. We need your help in finding her. Please, let us know if you find anything. Keita.'

Mataras looked at Kirito with a gaze that said he would handle this one alone. As the younger swordsman ran off, Mataras enabled his 'tracker sight' skill. It enabled him to find Sachi's path on the map displayed in the menu.

He found her hiding under a bridge, her head buried in her legs, which were curled into her chest. "Sachi," he said gently. She looked up with a surprised gasp to see her friend sitting down on the hard rocks a few feet away.

When she said nothing in response, he asked, "Why did you run off? Everyone's worried about you." His tone was gentle, which was unusual for him. Normally his voice was filled with unbridled confidence or downright arrogance. This softer side of his was something that not even Kirito had seen before.

"I'm… scared," she replied hoarsely. "I'm terrified that I'm going to die in here, in this stupid game."

"Why? Your training is really coming a long way. You're almost on par with Tetsuo."

"So what?" Sachi said, her grip on her own body tightening. "There's always going to be something stronger than me, something that could kill me."

"Well…" Mataras hesitated. He knew that he needed to get this one right. "Yeah, there's always going to be something stronger than you. But that's why you have me and the Black Cats. Together, you're all stronger than you could be on your own."

Sachi said nothing in response for a long moment, but Mataras wasn't going anywhere. Finally, the girl raised her head to look at Mataras. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, and tear tracks marked her face. "Do you really think that we can make it out of this place alive?" she asked quietly.

Mataras nodded his head gravely. "I do," he said. "The Moonlit Black Cats are strong people. As long as we all stick together, we'll be on par with the guys on the front lines soon enough." He neglected to mention that while the Cats had been rapidly advancing their levels, they were still a good ten to fifteen levels below him and Kirito. Still, they were regarded as higher levelled, even amongst the assault team, so what he said was true. Five more levels or so, and the guild would be ready for the front lines, he thought to himself.

"You really think I won't die in here?" Sachi repeated.

Mataras nodded again with a small smile. "I really do," he said. "And I'm going to make sure of it, no matter what."

"No matter what?" Sachi was sitting straighter now, and the light of hope was back in her eyes. Mataras scooted over closer to the girl to put his arm reassuringly around her.

She leaned into the hug as he promised her that no matter what, he'd be there to keep her safe. _Maybe I can finally find peace in all of this,_ he thought as he helped Sachi to her feet. _Victoria… I miss you more than you'll ever know… But maybe with this second chance, I can let some of the pain go._

Later that night, Mataras lay awake in bed, his thoughts whirling around inside his mind at the speed of a tornado. His memories plagued him, and he found himself unable to even relax as his own mind tormented him. His own meditation techniques couldn't even help him.

Then he heard a soft knock on his door. Getting up quickly, he moved as quietly as he could an opened the door to reveal Sachi in her sleepwear, clutching an extra pillow and blanket. She appeared nervous, but then, Sachi always looked nervous.

"Can I help you?" he whispered, careful to keep his voice down.

"I can't sleep," she said in an equally quiet voice. "Can I… Can I sleep with you tonight, Mataras?"

Mataras was taken aback by the request, but he quickly recovered. "Uh…" he said, sweating lightly. "I guess… But what would the others say?"

"I don't care," she insisted. "And besides, Kirito's right there. It's not like they'll be able to accuse us of doing anything together." She had a point, he realized. But still, the last time he had shared a bed with someone it had been…

He shook his head to clear it and sighed as Sachi waited for his answer. "Okay," he said. "Come on in." The girl smiled happily and came inside to immediately get on the bed.

Mataras lay next to her, facing away, mindful of her personal space. He was surprised when she scooted closer to him and wrapped her arm around his abdomen, immediately making the space warmer.

He was about to ask her what she was doing when she whispered, "Good night… Big Brother. Thanks for today." Then she fell asleep so fast that she didn't have time to hear Mataras' stifle a small sob and his tears hitting the pillow.

* * *

"Well, everyone, I have an announcement to make," Keita grinned as he addressed his assembled guild mates. "As a result of last week's hunting, we now have more than two hundred thousand col in the guild savings."

There were mutters of surprise and satisfaction. "Hey, we could by a house with that kind of col!" Ducker grinned.

"Or we could upgrade Sachi's equipment," Sasamaru chimed in.

Keita hesitated- both were sound ideas, but… "What do you think, Sachi?" he asked.

The girl smiled and shook her head. "That's all right," she said. "I'm okay with what I have."

"Well, if you really feel that way," Keita grinned. Then he turned to Kirito and Mataras. "So what do you guys think? Should we get a house?"

"I'm all for it," Kirito grinned. "Having a permanent residence instead of having to pay rent every week sounds pretty good to me."

Mataras shrugged nonchalantly. "As long as we don't have to deal with those Liberation Army idiots on the first floor, I find this situation agreeable." When he received a blank look, he sighed and said, "As long as we don't have to stay on the first floor, I'd be happy to live in a house, Keita."

"All right," Keita smiled. "Then first thing tomorrow, I'll go start looking at some houses." This was well-met by the guild, and even Mataras cracked a smile in front of the others.

* * *

"All right, I'm off!" Keita said as he waved at his guild from the town gate. "Teleport, Yoza!" And he warped off to the second floor.

As soon as he was gone, Sasamaru grinned and said, "I can't believe we're getting out own house! This is so cool!"

"Aw come on," Ducker said as he ribbed his friend. "You sound like an old man."

"Wait, I've got an idea!" Tetsuo interrupted before the two would start ribbing each other. "While Keita's out shopping, why don't we go get some col for some furniture?"

"Yeah!" Ducker agreed enthusiastically. "Let's head up to floor twenty-seven, eh?"

This made Kirito nervous. The assault team had just cleared the twenty-seventh floor not too long ago, and most players weren't qualified to be hunting up on that floor yet. "Hey, hold on, guys," he cautioned. "Those floors sound pretty dangerous from the papers we've read. We should probably stick to our original hunting spots."

"Nah, we'll be fine," Sasamaru grinned as he stepped up to the gate. "We've been working pretty hard to get stronger, so we should be fine up there. And we can earn more col on the higher floors, and faster!"

"Yeah, but…" Kirito went to protest some more, but then he realized it would have no effect on the eager players. "All right, fine, but follow Mataras' and my lead. Got that?"

"Sure, mom," Ducker chuckled as they all stepped onto the teleportation gate. Mataras and Kirito exchanged worried glances. Even for them, the twenty-seventh floor was nothing to sneeze at. But as long as they stayed out of any traps, they should be fine- right?

* * *

To the surprise of both Kirito and Mataras, the group did just fine against the monsters of the twenty-seventh floor. They wandered deeper into the dungeon, with Mataras always keeping to the rear and Kirito in the front.

It was later in the afternoon when Kirito finally called for a stop. "I think we've done enough hunting for today," he said. "Let's get back to the tavern."

The others were about to agree, but purely by chance, Ducker's treasure-hunting skill picked up on something that the others couldn't see. He jogged over to a wall, much to Kirito's surprise, and pressed his hands against it. The 'wall' fell back to reveal a hidden room with a single treasure chest in it.

Mataras and Kirito both eyed the room with distrust. "Oh, yes, a single abandoned chest in an empty hidden room," Mataras said, his voice thick with sarcasm. "This looks about as authentic as-"

He realized that Ducker and the others were either ignoring him or didn't hear him, because he went and immediately opened the chest with glee, the others right behind him. "You IDIOT!" Mataras roared as he charged into the room, Kirito right behind him, sword drawn.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than did the door shut behind them, locking tight. The chest disappeared as an alarm began to blare and the walls throbbed red. More hidden rooms were revealed, spawning several dwarf-like monsters and tall golem creatures.

"Teleport crystals!" Kirito snapped at the dumbstruck guild.

Ducker reached into his cape and held a blue crystal aloft. "Teleport, Taft!" he cried. Nothing happened, and Mataras and Kirito felt the cold stone of fear settle in their bellies. "Teleport, _Taft_!" Ducker tried again, his voice sounding desperate.

"Why aren't the crystals working?" Sachi asked, her voice strained with terror.

"We just walked into an anti-crystal zone," Kirito replied grimly. He eyes the mobs around him uneasily, for they were still spawning. He swung his blade and decimated one of the dwarves that got too close for comfort.

"Why didn't you listen to me?!" Mataras snarled at Ducker as they prepared to fight their way out. "You do realize that you just sent us towards our deaths at _record_ speed?!"

"Nah, these guys don't look that tough," Tetsuo said with confidence as he swung his mace at one of the golems. His confidence and grin vanished as soon as he realized that the golem wasn't dead- and very much capable of hitting back.

The blow he received knocked him on his back, giving way for the dwarves to stab him with their pickaxes, over and over. His dying screams would forever haunt Mataras and Kirito. His avatar shattered into pieces even as Ducker moved to avenge his friend.

"No, don't separate!" Mataras cried out.

But it was too late. Ducker wasn't as strong as Tetsuo, so he never stood a chance. The mobs made short work of him. Sasamaru was the last one of the boys to die, struck from behind by one of the golems.

This was enough to send both Mataras and Kirito into a killing rage. They hacked, slashed and beat their way through anything that came within the reach of their swords. Unfortunately, this separated them from Sachi.

She was left to engage a number of the golems alone with her sword. Her level was decent by now, but her resolve was shaking with the death of her friends, and she failed to notice the long arm about to come down to end her life.

But Kirito saw it, just in the nick of time. "_Sachi_!" he screamed desperately. But there was no way for him to reach the girl in time. There were too many monsters blocking his way, and he was about to fail the last member in his party. Time seemed to stop, then.

But he wasn't the only other one there that day. Mataras saw what was happening and did the only thing that he could think of. Rearing his arm back, he hurled his sword mightily, turning it into a giant pinwheel of death. It flashed through the air to slice off the golem's arm and sticking in the wall behind it. This gave Sachi the opening she needed to dodge and retaliate.

The golem shattered into pieces, and this seemed to give Sachi the confidence she needed to hold off the rest of her attackers. Mataras managed to make his way over to the girl by dodging and weaving in between the mobs and retrieve his sword from the wall.

Together, they managed to clear a path through to Kirito, their swords causing terrible havoc on the monsters that would take their lives. Once they regrouped, they were able to hold off the stone monsters while Sachi retaliated against the shorter dwarf creatures.

After a long, drawn-out battle, Kirito, Sachi, and Mataras all staggered out of the dungeon, exhausted and nearly out of health points. They sat down outside the entrance and numbly drank their health potions. None of them wanted to even move after what they had just been through.

But they had no such luck. Soon after, they got each got a message from Keita, saying that he had made the purchase for their new house, and he wanted to meet them on the second floor. He also wondered why Ducker, Tetsuo, and Sasamaru weren't on his friend list anymore, and he wanted an explanation.

"I'll tell him," Mataras mumbled.

"Thanks," was the only thing that Kirito could say.

"Thanks for saving me," Sachi said quietly. "I know you guys did all that you could."

"No, we didn't," Kirito said bitterly. "If we had told you guys the truth from the beginning, they would have listened more carefully to Mataras, and-"

"I know how strong you guys really are," she interrupted. The quiet words stopped both swordsmen cold.

"You… knew?" Mataras echoed. "How…?"

"I kind of peeked at your stats the other day when you were swapping swords," Sachi replied, slightly embarrassed. "But I can't figure out why you didn't want us to know about it."

Both Kirito and Mataras exchanged shamed gazes before the former beta tester hung his head and said, "Sachi… Are you familiar with the term 'beater'? The one that applies to the former beta testers?"

"Yes…" Sachi said carefully.

"I'm the first known beater," Kirito admitted. "I'm the one that took that title on. Mataras here was just unlucky enough to be associated with me, so he took the name, too. And that means that we knew about traps like the one that just killed our friends."

"So why just not tell us?" Sachi asked.

"We were afraid that if you knew our real identities, you guys wouldn't want us around anymore," Mataras answered. "We both saw how much fun you all had together, and we just wanted to be a part of it. But I guess it doesn't matter now, does it?"

"You're wrong," Sachi said in response, startling both her friends.

"What do you mean?" Kirito asked. "Don't you blame us for what happened to everyone just now?"

"No," Sachi said with a shake of her head. "The others should have listened to you, whether you were a beater or not. Anybody could have seen that room was an obvious trap, but we ignored the signs. Their deaths aren't your fault."

Kirito and Mataras both hung their heads, feeling both ashamed and amazed that Sachi would be so forgiving towards them. Mataras' eyes watered as he was once again reminded of another girl, but he didn't let the others see his tears.

Instead, he stood and wiped his eyes. "Come on," he said as he held his hand out to Sachi. "We'd better talk to Keita about a funeral. And… about us."

* * *

"You… you two are beaters…?" Keita gasped, his face twisted in horror. But the expression was quickly replaced by fury. "You had no right to be around us!" He threw the keys to the house he had bought, landing a solid hit on Mataras' face. The swordsman didn't even flinch from the impact, and the keys simply fell to the ground.

Keita staggered against the railing that overlooked the sky that Aincrad floated in, the full impact of his friend's deaths crashing down on him. "You… you killed them…" he whispered. "The day you joined us… you sealed their deaths."

"They saved our lives, Keita," Sachi tried to console him, but he pushed her away and immediately got on top of the railing. Seeing what was about to happen, Sachi rushed forward, but she was too late to keep Keita from leaping to his death. "NO!"

She leaned over the railing, trying to grasp at his foot, but Mataras grabbed her wrist, an unfathomable sadness etched into his face. He held onto her wrist until Keita passed from view before he let go. Kirito just stood off to the side, so filled with pain that it numbed his heart to any other emotion.

"Why…?" Sachi asked Mataras as she sank down onto the grass.

"We've lost enough friends for a lifetime," Mataras replied. "I won't risk losing another." Slowly, he picked up the keys that Keita had dropped and helped Sachi to her feet. Kirito followed them, silent as a wraith, as they walked towards the new house that Keita had bought.

* * *

**A/N: Just to be clear, this is not an OCxSachi ship. Also, the Christmas event will not be covered, because as far as I'm concerned, Kirito only went to get that item to save Sachi, and no one else. Since she survived, they don't need the item. So for now we can assume that the Furin Kazan Guild got a hold of the revival item, but it's not really important.**

**Please R&amp;R with your thoughts!**


	3. Dragon Masters

**A/N: So here it is, the third chapter. As is implied, one of the members of the Moonlit Black Cats is also a Dragon Tamer. Which one? Let's find out! Please R &amp; R!**

* * *

Dragon Masters

It was nearly night when they heard the screams. Mataras exchanged glances with his teammates before they all took off in the direction of the sound. From what they could tell, it seemed that there was a single player out in the field.

_What kind of fool comes out onto this floor dungeon solo?_ Mataras thought as Kirito and Sachi raced behind him. A slight breeze brushed against his left ear, but he ignored it. Right now, he needed to focus on finding-

The team burst out of the dark forest to find three giant gorilla-type monsters menacing a small girl, weaponless and crying. The Moonlit Black Cats charged, each one of them selecting a single monster to take down. Less than two seconds later, the monsters were nothing but a bunch of polygons.

The young girl looked up to see the faces of her saviors, wondering who had come to her rescue. The first was a girl with dark hair, not much older than herself. She wielded a single silver blade, equipped mostly in dark blue armor with some silver themes throughout. Her eyes were blue and filled with sadness.

The second was a gray-eyed boy with a silver blade that had a blue cross guard and a moon symbol on it. His clothes were mostly black with a yellow shirt and some blue shoulder pads. His face was completely blank, devoid of any emotion.

The last one was different from the others. Something about his stance and every movement seemed to be fueled by some kind of… anger. His eyes were dark brown, although in the dark of the forest, they almost seemed to be black holes of fury. His shirt, pants, and hair were jet black like his male companion's, but his fell past his ears and partially obscured his left eye. The girl wasn't sure whether or not that this guy was really hero material.

Strangely, he was the first to sheathe his sword, a blade similar to his friend's but with a red cross guard and a sun symbol. His red-and-black waistcoat fluttered gently in the wind as he walked over to the girl. He knelt down beside her, blinking once as he looked her over for any wounds. When his eyes opened, the hard light in them vanished, and the lines in his face softened considerably.

The girl almost blinked herself: in less than a moment, the mysterious swordsman had gone from being a rage-filled warrior to an almost-charming young man. "Drink this," he said as he handed her a red vial.

She drank the health potion and felt her aches washing away and her energy being restored. _Health…_ Her eyes brimmed with tears as she noticed the single feather Pina had left behind as the only proof of her existence in the first place.

Her rescuer noticed the object of her attention, and he picked it up. "This is your familiar's heart," he said as he placed it in her unoccupied hand. "You'll need that if you're going to revive her."

"Revive her?" the girl said shakily. Then she shook her head and wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry, I've been rude. My name is Selica, who're you guys?"

"I'm Kirito," the boy in black replied as he walked over slowly.

"Sachi," said the girl quietly.

"I am Mataras," the one that had been talking to her said. "We're sorry we didn't get here sooner. We might have been able to save your familiar."

"Pina," Selica nodded. "She was my friend… a healing dragon." As she thought of her only real friend in these last few months, she could have sworn that she heard her familiar squawk. No, wait… The sound was a deeper one than she remembered.

Looking up, she was surprised to see a red dragon slightly larger than Pina perching on Mataras' shoulder. The young man patted the dragon affectionately, which caused it to warble happily. "This is Litrosh," he explained. "My fire dragon familiar."

"A fire dragon familiar?!" Selica gasped. She'd never met anybody who'd managed to find, let alone tame one of the rare fire dragons. "How did you do that?"

"No offense, but shouldn't you focus on _your_ dragon?" Mataras replied with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "You'll run out of time at this rate."

"Run out of time?" Selica asked, disoriented. "What do you mean?"

"Why don't you let me handle this one, okay, buddy?" Kirito said as he also knelt down. Turning to Selica, he said, "Here's the deal. There's a dungeon on the forty-seventh floor called the Hill of Memories. Inside it, there's an item drop that's supposed to revive familiars."

"Floor forty-seven?" Selica said in despair. "It'll take me at least a few months to get that far…"

"That's not all," Sachi added. "The item will only work seventy-two hours after death. After that, it won't be possible to revive Pina."

"We'd go for you," Kirito said, "And you'd only have to pay for the cost of the trip. Real problem is, the item won't drop unless the familiar's master is there. You'd have to come with us if you wanted the item." He and Mataras both stood and opened their menus.

"I'd love to come, but…" Selica sighed deeply in resignation. Then her menu popped up to notify her of a trade request. Looking up, she saw that both Mataras and Kirito were offering her higher-level equipment.

"Take these," Kirito said. "They should boost your stats four or five levels."

"Oh!" Selica said as she got to her feet. "Well, I know I don't have enough col to pay you back, but-"

"Don't worry about it," Mataras said as he closed his menu. "We don't need any col. We have some business on floor forty-seven tomorrow anyways."

"Well, then…" Selica was very confused. "Why are you guys helping me?"

Mataras and Kirito both exchanged a look, the one in red grinning a little, while the one in black face-palmed. "Mataras is doing this because he really, _really_ likes dragons," Kirito sighed. "And I… Well… Ugh… It's cos you remind me of my little sister."

Despite herself, and the situation she had found herself in, Selica couldn't help but laugh. The laughter only increased when Kirito groaned and walked away, muttering to himself.

* * *

They were head to a tavern to spend the night when they ran into a group of three players, two men and one woman. She seemed to be rather vain, considering her clothing choices that left little to the imagination, Mataras thought as they approached.

"Hello, Selica," the woman smiled with mock cheer. "How are you, dear? Where's Pina?"

"She died trying to save me…" Selica mumbled.

"Oh… What a shame," the woman sighed exaggeratedly.

"Pardon me, but do you two know each other?" Mataras asked as he stepped between Selica and the older player. His tone was pitched slightly lower than normal. The two young men immediately shrank from his presence- something about this new player seemed off to them.

"Why, yes, actually," the woman said, continuing her smile. "Up until this morning, we were all in a party together. But dear little Selica decided to run off on her own, and I've been wondering how she was all day!"

"As if," Mataras snorted. "If you were really concerned, why was it that a bunch of strangers found her instead of her own teammates? Were you more afraid of the forest than a little girl?"

The other woman's eyes widened as her mind registered the insults, and she dropped her pleasant demeanor. "Listen here, you little-"

"Rosalia, can't we just go?" One of her teammates eyed Mataras nervously. He noticed that the other by was reaching quietly for his sword on his back.

The woman 'harrumphed' and turned on her heel. As she left, she said, "He's a real charmer, Selica! I hope he keeps you entertained." Sachi placed her hand on Mataras' shoulder to calm him before he drew his sword and attacked the annoying woman.

"Calm down," she said gently. "It's not worth it to fight someone like that."

"Hmph," he shrugged her hand off. "You're probably right. Black and orange just doesn't suit me, does it?" Sachi smiled slightly at her friend's poor attempt at a joke.

"You're wearing black and red," Kirito grinned as they began walking again. "It wouldn't be that much of a stretch, really."

"Do you really want a look my legs?"

"Oh please, spare me that!" Kirito pretended to groan.

* * *

That night after dinner, the team began discussing the dangers of the forty-seventh floor, and what was the best route to take. Kirito pulled up a holo-map to show the fastest route to take through the dungeon called 'The Hill of Memories' where the item that they sought was supposed to be found.

Kirito's finger began to trace a path on the map, when Mataras suddenly bolted upright and threw open the door. He looked out at the hallway, but did not go out any further. The sound of rapid footsteps faded away slowly. Once they were gone, Mataras shut the door and locked it again. "Eavesdropper," he growled.

"What?" Selica asked.

"Someone with a high enough stealth skill can eavesdrop on other players, even through locked doors," Sachi explained. "Not many people can do it, but it is possible."

"But who would wanna spy on us?" Selica was still confused.

"Someone may have overheard us at dinner," Mataras muttered as he sat down with a scowl on his face. "We should have been more careful. The pnuema flower is a rare item, and there are some players who would probably be willing to jump us to get it."

"What do you mean by that?" Selica's small voice was strained with fear now, and a slight sheen of sweat was on her brow.

Kirito sighed; he didn't want to cause Selica more stress, but it was only right that she knew. No one could afford to be in the dark in this game. "Do you see how our player icons are green?" he began. He indicated the gem-like icon floating above his head.

When Selica nodded, he continued, "Well, in most games, there are what're called yellow players: gamers who commit crimes against other players. In most games, they can play as the bad guy, have a few laughs, no real harm done.

"But in SAO, they're committing real crimes against real people, which makes them dangerous. But they're not the worst of it."

"There are worse?" Selica gasped.

"Yeah," Kirito said with a nod. "There are red players- player killers."

"Player… Killers?" the little girl repeated nervously.

"The worst kind," Kirito nodded again. "They treat other players in the fields like mobs, getting rare items and EXP off of them. They can't kill in safe zones unless they challenge some-one to a duel, but they usually don't resort to that."

"And… you think that the person that was spying on us is a red player?" Selica was very pale, Kirito noticed.

"Not likely," he said. "In all of Aincrad, there's probably only one hundred red players or so, and I doubt that our eavesdropper was one of them. More likely he was a yellow player."

This made Selica feel a little better- but only a little. "Are we still going to try and get the flower?" she asked nervously.

"We'll save Pina, don't worry," Sachi smiled gently. Litrosh, strangely enough, seemed to agree with Sachi, despite the fact that she was not his master. He let out a soft warble and bobbed his head.

Could he know that they were talking about another dragon, she wondered? Was it even possible for an AI to do that?

"Back to the map," Mataras said as he moved to stand over the sphere. "Seeing as we need to make this a fast trip, and there's four of us, why don't we take…this path?"

* * *

They emerged on the floor, Floria, early the next morning. This place was known as 'the lovers floor', and it was easy to see why. The place was covered in an array of flowers of all kinds, making the land shimmer almost like a rainbow.

Seliica was immediately distracted by this and ran over to smell some of the plants while giggling to herself. As Mataras watched this happen, he sighed and said aside to his dragon, "How in the world she ever got Pina to follow her is beyond me."

The little red dragon made a series of squawking sounds, to which Mataras relied hotly, "No, I'm pretty sure even Hannah would've been able to do that!" The red lizard seemed to chuckle, which his master ignored.

Kirito and Sachi both had learned by this point to stop trying to get Mataras not to talk to Litrosh as though it was an intelligent creature. All it did was cause arguments due to Mataras' vague answers whenever they asked him direct questions.

Also, despite all of their inquires, he refused to say anything about his family or any friends that he might have in the real world. Other than those two areas, the remnants of the Moonlit Black Cats got along famously.

"Shall we get going?" Sachi asked as Selica got up and dusted herself off. "We've got a bit of a walk ahead of us for today."

"Oh!" Selica exclaimed. "Yeah, sorry about that. Sure, let's go." Without any further delays, the group set out on the path to the Hill of Memories.

After they'd been walking quietly for a few minutes, Selica finally piped up again. "So… Mr. Kirito? You said that I reminded you of your little sister. Would you mind telling me a little bit about her?"

Kirito shrugged uncomfortably and said, "Well, for starters, she's not really my sister. She's my cousin, but we were raised like siblings, so I doubt that she knows. I guess ever since I found that out, I didn't feel like I was part of her family anymore, and that's why we kind of drifted apart.

"One thing I can say about her is that she's pretty handy with martial arts," he said with a fond smile. "She rocks with kendo since she's been training for a long time- ever since we were both really little. I used to do it, too, but then one day I decided that it wasn't for me."

His face winced and he rubbed his neck, no doubt remembering the pain of a blow from many years ago. "Grandpa beat the hell out of me for wanting to quit, but Suguha said that she'd train double-hard for both of us, so he let me go.

"I've always felt guilty for bailing on her like that," Kirito explained. "So I guess by helping you, somehow I feel like I'm paying her back now. I just hope she doesn't hate me when I wake up from this death game."

"I don't think she hates you," Selica said with a bright smile. "I mean, you're a really nice guy, Mr. Kirito, so I don't think that she could ever hate you. I know I couldn't."

Kirito smiled brightly for the first time in a while at that. "Thanks, Selica," he said.

* * *

The trip through the dungeon took some time, and some rather entertaining moments when Selica tried to take on mobs that were a bit out of her league, but no one was seriously hurt. Selica made sure that she talked to everyone about anything she could; to Kirito about his sister, to Sachi about her family back home, and to Mataras about the care of dragons, as well as how he had tamed Litrosh.

When they reached the drop area for the item that they sought, Selica was beyond delighted when a single white flower sprung up and blossomed in a matter of seconds. As soon as Kirito gave her the nod, she plucked the flower and added it to her inventory.

"Let's wait to use it once we're back in a safe zone," Mataras advised, to which they all agreed.

"Yeah, there's a lot of monsters that'll be a little too much for Pina to handle," Kirito added. "I'm sure she'd want it this way."

"Okay," Selica nodded as they headed back down the path.

* * *

They were all sharing in a little laugh, when Mataras' face suddenly hardened and he placed a hand on Pina's shoulder. Kirito noticed this and made a stopping motion with his hand to the girls. Selica looked up at them, wondering what was happening, while Sachi placed her hand on her sword.

Mataras and Kirito's gazes were fixed on the trees that lined the path as the leader of the small guild called out, "Whoever is hiding out there, come out now."

For a moment, it seemed as though Kirito was talking to the tree itself until a not-unfamiliar figure stepped out from behind it. "Good afternoon," Rosalia said with her fake smile. "How are you all today?"

"Hello, Rosalia," Kirito said with the same smile. He turned to hand Selica a blue teleport crystal, saying, "Keep this handy, but stay back no matter what happens to us."

"So, do you prefer Rosalia, or do you prefer to be referred to as the leader of Titan's Hand?" Mataras said as he took a couple of steps forward.

"Oh, so you know who I am?" Rosalia mused. "Very clever. How _did_ you find that out?"

"Do you remember that guild of five that you wiped out a few weeks ago?" Mataras snapped. "You killed everyone but the leader."

"Oh, yeah, the losers with no money," Rosalia sighed. "What a waste."

"She killed them?" Selica whispered to Sachi. "But her icon is green!" Sure enough, Rosalia's cursor was normal-colored.

However… "The yellow effect usually wears off after a couple of days, unless you keep committing crimes," Sachi replied in a lowered tone. "But Titan's Hand, amongst other criminal guilds work a little different. The green player scouts the target so then the yellow and red players can take care of the dirty work."

"That's horrible!" Selica gasped.

"Well, as much as I would love to chat, I have things that I should be taking," Rosalia shrugged. "Only idiots take this seriously. There's no real proof that if you die in here that you're dead IRL. But in any case, I suggest that you hand over the pneuma flower if you want to walk away from this."

"I don't think so," Mataras snarled at Rosalia as Kirito and he drew their blades. "That was one of your people outside our room last night, wasn't it?"

"And if it was?" Rosalia smirked as she snapped her fingers. Eight thugs with yellow cursors stepped out from behind the trees just as Rosalia had done. "You're outnumbered, so I'd advise that you do as you're told."

"Hmph," Mataras snorted as he and his teammate began to move across the bridge again. "Sachi, Litrosh, keep Selica safe. This won't take a second."

"But, Mr. Mataras! Mr. Kirito!" Selica tried to protest, but Sachi held her back while Litrosh perched on her head.

"Wait, Kirito?" one of the thugs repeated uncertainly. "I know that name from somewhere…"

One of his compatriots gasped and said, "One-handed… No shields… Those two are shadowed by a young girl… One with a black coat, the other a red one… The Moonlit Black Cats from the assault team! These two are the Black and Red Swordsmen!"

Rosalia snorted derisively. "Why would a guild from the front lines be down here? Besides, there's only four of them, two of which are little girls. I think it's safe to say that you all have this one under control."

"You really want to bet on that?" Mataras said with a wolfish smile plastered on his face. "Tell you what; you can have the first shot. Want to see how that turns out?"

The Titan's Hand cronies eyes the two young men nervously. Kirito was the epitome of calm, while his friend had the look of a wild animal that was barely restraining itself in the anticipation of a hunt. Either one was unsettling, but to see them standing together was downright frightening.

"Shut up!" Rosalia snapped. "You two are outnumbered four to one, and you're inviting us to attack?! Kill them already!" She shouted the last part at her minions, who were galvanized into action by the loud words.

They swung with all their might and speed at the two young warriors, stabbing and slashing them repeatedly. Neither one of them moved as the blades cut into them over and over again. Selica cried out and tried to leap to their rescue, only to have Sachi restrain her with an iron grip.

The young dragon tamer's first thought was that Sachi had betrayed them for some reason, until the other girl directed her attention to Kirito and Mataras' health bars. At first Selica didn't understand what was happening- it looked like the two boys hadn't taken any damage since the assault began. Then she noticed something very curious: every time one of them got hit, their health bar would dip slightly, only to be restored back to full health a moment later.

"What in the…?" she wondered aloud.

She wasn't the only one confused by the situation. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Rosalia shouted at her minions, who were gasping for breath, utterly exhausted. "Why haven't you killed them already?!"

"I don't get it!" One of them shouted back, fear in his voice.

"We gave it everything we had!" another agreed.

"What's there to get?" Mataras grinned evilly. "We're level seventy-eight, with Sachi back there being seventy-five. At this point, our wounds heal faster than you incompetents can make them."

Krirto nodded as the men each took an involuntary step backwards. "The guild you guys murdered? Their leader survived, and he convinced us to take care of this matter."

"So what, now?" Rosalia said in a mock-sweet tone. "Are you going to kill us, little boys?"

"Don't tempt me," Mataras snapped, his eyes blazing with fury. Back from Selica's shoulder, Litrosh let out a warning growl. "Believe me, I'd just as soon chop you into pieces."

"But that's not what our client wanted," Kirito explained as he held up a large blue crystal that appeared to have red bubbles within it. "No, he wanted you to face justice for what you did. This crystal is bound to the prison, and you're all going in there, even if we have to force you in. This is where all that money you were after went to. This job and the crystal cost our client most of his fortune, and we'll see that he gets his money's worth."

Rosalia could see that they were dead serious. In response, she hefted her spear and shouted, "Well, I'm green, so if you hurt me, you'll end up-!" Her words were cut off as Mataras suddenly blurred up to level his sword across her throat, ready to kill.

"I don't care if I have to play yellow, or even red for a few days," he said as his eyes burned like black volcanoes. "I'm called the Red Swordsman for a reason, you got it?" Her spear dropped in response.

* * *

Later that day, after they'd made sure that Titan's Hand were all safely behind bars, the group was gathered in Selica's room again. Once they had all gathered, Sachi was the first to speak. "I guess we should apologize for putting you in danger like that," she said. "We were afraid that if you knew why we were really down here, you'd be afraid of us."

"Nah," Selica said with a shake of her head. "I know I wasn't in any real danger, since you guys are so strong. And I could never be afraid of you, because you're good people."

"Heh," Kirito chuckled. "Thanks, Selica. You're a good friend."

"Thanks, Mr. Kirito," she grinned with a slight blush. "Maybe someday when we all get out of here, we can all meet up in the real world?"

"I'd like that," Sachi said with a smile. Kirito agreed while Mataras simply nodded once.

"I suppose we should revive Pina, eh?" the red-cloaked player said.

"Yeah!" Selica chirped happily. She got the two items, Pina's Heart, and the pneuma flower, and set them on the table. She held the flower over the glowing feather that was left of her dragon, and left it that way until a single drop rolled off the flower, causing it to shatter. When the drop hit the feather, it began to glow, and the whole group, even Mataras, smiled broadly.

_Pina..._ Selica thought as the glow reached its brightest. _I can't wait to tell you about my exciting adventures... The day where I got to have my very own big brothers and sister..._

* * *

**Okay, I realized that I made some mistakes on the placement of certain events on certain floors, but that has now been patched. Sorry about that!**


	4. Revenge From Beyond

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another update, and I do so hope that you enjoy! In this chapter we'll get to see a little bit more of Mataras' thought process and back story, so I hope that you guys are interested in this new chapter.**

**Also, see the bottom for an important announcement. Without further ado, let's go in for a full dive!**

* * *

Revenge From Beyond

The mood in the room was nothing short of grim. Suddenly, Asuna's hand shot forward and slapped the map. "Lure it to the village," she muttered. "That's how we beat it. Our archers can get it go to the town, and then it'll be distracted killing the NPC's. That's where _we_ strike."

"Wait a second," Kirito protested. "We can't just go around killing off NPC's. That's-"

"You think they're alive?" Asuna interrupted coldly. "Unlike us, they can re-spawn if they die. They're no different that rocks and trees, or even other mobs."

Kirito scowled at his ex-partner and said, "Sorry, but I'm not cool with this plan."

"I'm in charge of this operation," Asuna retorted, "So you'll do as I say, got that?"

Before either one of them could get another word in, another voice let out a short bark of laughter before saying, "Forgive me, Miss Lightning Flash." Mataras' voice was practically dripping with mock respect. "But you command the Knights of the Blood-Oath, not the Moonlit Black Cats. And there's no way your plan would work anyways. Bosses can't leave the areas they guard. It doesn't matter that this is a field boss, there's still a certain parameter that they can't leave. And they most certainly can't into safe zones- they are safe zones after all."

Asuna was about to put him in his place when she realized that he was right about the bosses. It shut her up, but it didn't stop her from glaring lightning bolts at Mataras. She couldn't figure out which one of them she hated more: Kirito for being so argumentative, or Mataras for being right while insulting her simultaneously.

"All right, I think we'll need to do another week of grinding in that case," said Klein, the leader of the Furinkazan Guild. He and Kirito knew each other from the launch date, and he was a respected member of the assault team, although the Holy Dragon Alliance seemed to have some kind of grudge against him. "Let's meet back here next week to compare notes. Any arguments?" He shot a look at both the Black Cats and Asuna while he spoke.

Fortunately, everyone agreed to leave peacefully, and the meeting cavern cleared out with relative quiet. As they were leaving, the two teenagers were approached by Agil, who had a frown on his face. "What's up with you guys?" he demanded.

"Huh?" Kirito asked.

"You two and the second-in-command always seem to be going at it," he said with a shake of his head. "And I thought you guys were supposed to be friends?"

"Hmph," Mataras grunted, his typical response.

"We just don't seem to click," Kirito shrugged. "I remember telling her that she'd have been better off joining a guild, but I never thought that she would take my advice so far as to become a floor-clearing badass."

"It doesn't really matter," Mataras said almost to himself. "We have Sachi with us anyways. And she's more than competent now. I reckon that she'd put a bunch of those Holy Dragon guys to shame with her sword work nowadays."

"Speaking of which, where did she go with Litrosh?" Agil asked. "I saw her head off about half an hour ago."

"She's getting lunch ready, probably," Mataras replied. "We're supposed to meet her on floor fifty-nine anyways in a bit. We'll see you later, Agil. Good luck with the shop today."

"Yeah," the larger man said with a slight wave. "Take care, y'all."

* * *

The trio of friends all had a picnic on the grass outside of town. Sachi made some sandwiches that both Mataras and Kirito enjoyed immensely. Kirito's was made with sausages and Mataras' was a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich. Litrosh gulped down some raw duck meat that he had caught yesterday with Mataras' assistance while Sachi contented herself with a turkey sandwich.

The food left them feeling content and sleepy, so they decided to take naps in turns while one of them kept watch for any criminal players. They weren't in a dungeon, by they were no longer in a safe zone, so it was possible to be killed by other players out here.

It was Mataras that was on watch when he heard a single player walk over to the sleeping Kirito and Sachi. He himself was propped up against a tree, pretending to doze, but his discipline was too good to allow anything other than complete alertness.

When the figure stopped and looked down at the trio, Mataras made his move. He lifted his blade from his lap- he'd already drawn it earlier- and pointed it at the onlooker's throat faster than the eye could follow.

He heard a familiar voice gasp in shock and he let out a sigh. Standing up, he sheathed his sword and faced Asuna. "What do you want?" he asked quietly.

"Everyone else is working their butts off to clear this floor, and where do I find you three? Taking a nap on the side of the road."

Mataras shrugged. "We've already done more than our fair share of work this week," he said. "And we're not part of your guild, so it's not for you to decide whether or not we deserve a rest."

"There's more that we could all be doing," Asuna growled. "As some of the top players, it falls on us to-"

"You really haven't thought about what I said back before the first boss raid, have you?" Mataras said abruptly, throwing the girl off.

"Wh- What?" she sputtered. "What are you even talking about?"

"Do you remember how I said that this place may change you? And that it might not be such a bad thing?" Mataras' voice had lost its hostile edge. Now he seemed almost… sad.

"What of it?" Asuna asked carefully.

"Well, it seems like you haven't really noticed anything at all," Mataras sighed. "For example, if you were paying attention, you'd know that today Aincrad is at its optimal weather setting, and that's why we're taking a nap."

"Every nap here is another bit of time wasted in the real world," Asuna snapped. "Why don't you get that?!"

"Because we're not in the real world," Mataras shrugged as he sat back down. "We're alive, here, in Aincrad. So why not enjoy the life that has been given to us? Look at Kirito and Sachi. Some of our hardest and finest, and yet here they are, able to relax like any normal person would. Like you know some part of you wants to."

Asuna wanted to protest, but something in the red-cloaked boy's words rendered the words useless in her mouth. Despite herself, she began to look around, noticing the bright, warm sun, the lush green grass, the clear blue sky, and the soft wind on her face. Then she looked back at Mataras and his friends, all resting easily.

Well, she knew that Mataras was likely only pretending to rest. She unconsciously rubbed her throat as she remembered the speed of his surprise attack, and that triggered another thought. _He's nowhere near as careless as he appears_, she thought. _Even though he's claiming to relax, he's trying to make sure that the others just have a good time._

Looking around once more, she reluctantly sat down on the grass, being forced to admit that it did feel nice. Mataras smiled to himself as she finally lay down, closed her eyes, and fell fast asleep. But he stayed awake and ever vigilant as the others gathered some much-needed rest.

* * *

It was nearly sunset when Asuna finally awoke. As she came to, she was aware of a few things. The first was that she was not on her bed, like she had initially thought. She was lying in a field of grass that seemed familiar, but her sleep-addled mind couldn't quite place it.

Then she looked up and saw _him_ sitting a few feet away on a rock wall, a small smile fixed on his face. "Good morning," Kirito grinned. "How did you- Gah!"

He leaped back over the wall as Asuna got to her feet and started to draw her rapier, shaking with fury. "What are you doing over there?!" she demanded.

"Well, Mataras and Sachi went to go do some grinding, so I volunteered to stay back and look out for you while you slept," Kirito replied as he peeked over the wall to see Asuna slowly sheathing her weapon.

"Fine, then," Asuna growled. "You get _one_ meal."

"Uh… what?" Kirito felt like he was missing something big.

"One meal," Asuna repeated as she straightened. "All you can eat. Then we'll be even."

* * *

Mataras and Sachi had just finished their levelling when they got messages from Kirito saying that he would be having dinner with Asuna on the fifty-seventh floor. Mataras had to smile a little bit at the thought of the two players having a civil conversation over dinner. It just seemed rather unlike them to get along that well.

"What do you think?" he asked his partner. "Should we go keep an eye on them at the restaurant?"

Sachi rubbed her lean stomach and nodded. "Food does sound good," she admitted. "I guess this is Asuna's way of saying 'thanks' to Kirito for watching out for her while she was sleeping, huh Big Brother?"

"Yeah," Mataras nodded. "Especially with sleep PK-ers on the loose these days." The red players had lately begun to target those that they selected for murder while they slept. Originally, they would do it outside safe zones like where the Moonlit Black cats had been napping, but now they had found out a way to do it inside safe zones, which was a huge problem, Mataras thought. They would manually engage a duel on both sides by manipulating a sleeping player's finger to access their menu, and then stab them to death once the safety was disabled.

In his opinion, the red players should have been rounded up and put in jail, or killed on the spot. Shaking the thoughts form his head, he opened his menu and sorted his items as they walked back into town. He tossed a snack of raw meat to his dragon once he came across it, who gulped it down happily.

* * *

They went to the same restaurant as Kirito and Asuna, but they sat several tables away to give them privacy. Sachi and he chatted about inconsequential matters for several minutes while they waited for their food. She was in the middle of telling him about the time that Ducker had set fire to his hair in a chemistry lab when a piercing scream split the atmosphere.

The two front-liners were immediately on their feet and running towards the door. Mataras saw that Kirito and Asuna were not far behind them, either. _Good_, he thought. _I hope we don't need the back-up, but it sure wouldn't hurt._

They dashed out into the square to see all of the people looking up at the local bell tower. At first, they didn't understand what the commotion was about, but it wasn't too long before they saw the fully armored man hanging by a rope slung under his shoulders- and the red blade thrust through his chest.

"What's going on up there?" Sachi wondered.

"We need to cut him down before he gets killed!" Asuna snapped.

"He won't die, the town is a safe zone," Mataras reminded her.

The glare he received in response would have been enough to freeze magma. "So we should just leave him up there?" Asuna snarled. The Red Swordsman sighed heavily in response.

"Get BACK!" Mataras bellowed. He dashed forward, drawing his sword as he did, eliciting cries of surprise from the crowd. Litrosh leaped off of his shoulder so that he could move freely. He let out a savage war cry as he leaped high into the air, intending to slash the rope as he came close to the victim.

But before he could reach the man, Mataras saw his eyes widen in terror and pain- right before dissolving into thousands of green-and-blue pieces. The swordsman was so surprised, he barely timed his collision with the wall correctly, planting his feet on the stones and springing himself at the ground, where he rolled into somersault to break his momentum.

He sprang to his feet a second later and glared at the crowd. "The winner's icon!" he shouted. "Where is it?!" Looking around, nobody had the icon on them that would declare them the victor of a duel. And everyone's icons were green, indicating that they were law-abiders. Which must mean…

"Asuna! Kirito!" Mataras barked. "The killer must be in the tower! Don't let him get out!" Not bothering to argue with him right now, Asuna took off immediately with Kirito, because she knew he was right: the killer had to be caught.

Mataras went over to see that the murder weapon was now stuck in the ground, dropped there when it fell from the remains of its victim. He picked it up and physically examined it, but there wasn't anything he could tell that was unusual about it, other than the design. Although, since he wasn't a smithy or a merchant, that didn't mean too much.

He stored the item in his inventory just in time for Asuna and Kirito to appear on the balcony of the bell tower. "There's nobody in here!" Asuna called down, a heavy frown fixed on her face.

Mataras' blood ran cold at that. _Nobody in there… Then…_ "The killer must have used a teleport crystal!" he called back up.

"Or it was an NPC that just got killed," Sachi said as she stood next to Mataras. "It could have just been an event for that sword to drop." Her calm, quiet words cut through the fear that Mataras had begun to feel.

He sighed quietly in relief and dropped a hand on Sachi's shoulder. "You're probably right," he said as he rubbed the sweat from his brow. "Thanks, Sachi. I probably would have started interrogating these onlookers if not for you." He grinned weakly as he gestured at the confused onlookers.

"Um…" a timid, hesitant voice said as its owner stepped forward.

"Yes?" Mataras said as he turned to look at a girl with long, purple hair and deep blue eyes. "Do you know something about this?"

"Yes…" she said, trembling. "My name is Yolko. The man who just died… His name in Kains. We came in for dinner tonight, and then… We got separated… And…" She began to cry as Sachi went to comfort her.

"Man?" Mataras repeated. "Not an NPC?" Yolko could only nod as she continued to mourn her friend. And suddenly, that chill in Mataras' spine was back as though it had never gone away in the first place. "Oh dear…"

* * *

Asuna volunteered to help them with the investigation after the group had finished taking Yolko to her hotel room. "I'll contact the Commander and let him know of the situation so none of us take any heat for all of this," she explained.

As soon as she turned away, Mataras muttered in an undertone to Sachi, "What is it with Asuna? How many times am I going to have to remind her that we don't answer to anyone on the assault team?"

"I think she's trying to be nice, Mataras," Sachi replied in the same voice. "Yeah, we're not part of their guild, but we'd still get a lot of hate from the majority of the assault team if they thought we were slacking off."

"I could care less what they think of me," Mataras snorted. "Many of them go out of their way to avoid us. Not to mention there's a good chunk of them that hate 'beaters' already, so it's not like our good deeds will change their opinion of us."

Sachi just sighed and rolled her eyes. She knew better than to try to argue with Mataras once his mind was made up. No amount of arguing or debating would change his opinion of other people.

Asuna walked back into their midst, having sent the message to her commander. "Alright, what next?" she asked.

"Let's start with what we know," Mataras suggested. When nobody objected, he began listing off several points. "We heard a scream, ran outside to the square, and saw the victim being hung from the tower with the sword already in place. Later, Yolko said that she thought she saw somebody in a dark cloak walking away into the tower. So the most likely occurrence is that the victor of the duel used a crystal to make his or her escape."

"Yeah, but there's something that you're all forgetting here," Sachi interrupted. When everyone looked at her with puzzled glances, she elaborated, "Even if we couldn't see the winner's _icon_, a general announcement should have showed up where the duel began and lasted long enough for Kirito and Asuna to have seen it. But neither of you found anything."

"So if a duel wasn't involved…" Kirito began.

"Then someone is figuring out how to use the system to kill inside of a safe zone- while the victim is awake," Asuna finished, clearly disturbed by their thoughts. "Just as though they were in the field. Great."

"Who would be behind something like this, though?" Sachi wondered aloud.

"The Laughing Coffin," Mataras said immediately. "Those psychopaths… If anybody could figure out how to kill in a safe zone, it'd be them."

Kirito nodded with his hand on his chin. "That makes sense," he agreed. "But Laughing Coffin typically does hired work. It's not like them to just kill somebody unless there's a profit in it. So we're onto a different question: who would want this to happen?"

"Hm…" Asuna muttered. "What if we took the weapon that was used to a specialist and let them appraise it? See who made it. That would give us a good start."

The others nodded in agreement- it was a sound idea. "Do you know somebody, Asuna?" Sachi asked.

"Yeah, but she's kind of far from here," the girl replied with a slight frown.

"That's all right," Kirito said with a wave of his hand. "We know somebody with a pretty good appraisal skill level. You know Agil, right?" When Asuna confirmed that she did, they all decided to head over to his shop before it closed for the night.

* * *

"Hey, look at what the cat dragged in," Agil grinned as the small guild stepped into his shop. "How's it goin' guys?"

"We need a favor," Mataras said bluntly, not in the mood for puns.

Seeing his lack of usual politeness towards his friends, Agil frowned slightly. That meant that Mataras was worried about something, and if that was the case, most people would be hiding under the covers at home. "All right," he said. "Lemme close up shop, and we can talk then."

"Sounds good," Kirito nodded. "Thanks, Agil." The four of them moved in closer to the stand, giving Agil a better look at who was accompanying them.

The large man let out a gasp of surprise before grabbing Kirito over the counter and dragging him on top of the wood. "What's the matter with you?!" he could be heard saying. "You're part of the Black Cats! Why are y'all hangin' around with Asuna?!"

"We're working on a case together," Mataras said firmly. "Now can we get the shop closed up? This is rather important." Still looking slightly disgruntled, Agil released Kirito and set about packing in his wares while the Black Swordsman shut and locked the door.

"Um, Mataras?" Sachi asked hesitantly. "Where's Litrosh?" She felt bad that she hadn't noticed the little dragon's absence until just now.

"Oh, I sent him home to guard our house since we might be gone for a couple of days," Mataras replied easily. "He's fine, don't worry. He's a higher level than anyone that would be down on floor two, anyways. He'll do just fine against intruders. Plus, I'll get an alert if he's in trouble, and then I can just teleport home if I need to."

"Oh," she sighed with relief. "Okay. I was worried there for a minute."

"That's very kind of you," Mataras said with a faint smile. "But don't worry about him. Like I said, his level is sufficient enough for him to take on most robbers. Not to mention, most people- especially on floor two- wouldn't want to go up against a fire dragon."

"True," Sachi smiled.

* * *

About ten minutes later, the group was settled in the back room, where Mataras produced the blade in question. Agil took it with an intrigued look and accessed his appraisal skill. Once he was able to get the information out it, he shook his head.

"You're gonna love this," he muttered. "It's called Guilty Thorn. It's player-made, by some guy named Grimlock. Never heard of him before.

"It's a very fine quality weapon- in fact, you could probably go through most of the game with a sword like this, but there's nothing on the added effects list that says anything about letting ya kill in a safe zone." He handed it back to Mataras.

The black-haired boy seemed to glare at it for a moment before reversing his grip on it. "Only one way to tell that for certain," he said right before he stabbed at his hand.

Sachi let out a small yelp of fright and stopped the motion by grabbing his wrist right before the tip of the blade made contact with his hand. "What are you doing?!" she shouted in an unusually loud voice. "That thing has already killed one person! And I don't need any more friends dying on me!" Mataras felt as though he had been struck in the gut when he saw a tear running down his friend's face.

She yanked the weapon away from him and held it out of his arm's reach. "Don't you know what you dying would do to me?" she asked in a pleading voice.

"Sachi…" he said, his voice soft. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see if it would penetrate the skin. If it did, then that means that the safe zone effect would be neutralized by the blade. If not, then something else is going on here." He held his hand out for the sword back, but Sachi refused to give it.

Mataras noticed that the others were looking decidedly uncomfortable, so he decided to try something else. "Sachi, we need to talk," he said as he stood. "Give the sword to Kirito, and then meet me outside." Without waiting for a response, he strode out into the night air.

A few moments later, he heard Sachi step out with him, so he turned to face her. "I'm sorry I scared you," he said. "But you should know me well enough by now to know that I'd never put my life at risk unless it was to protect Kirito or you."

"I know…" she mumbled. "It's just… I miss my friends so much, and you're all that I have left now. You and Kirito." The tears began to spill steadily now. "And I… I can't stand the… thought of… losing you… too…" She began to cry, and he seized her in a tight embrace.

"Believe me," he said in a tight voice. "I know the pain of losing those that you love better than most. And sometimes it hurts so badly that I want to jump off the edge of Aincrad myself. But…"

"But what?" Sachi asked as she looked up to see Mataras with a single tear sliding down his own face, shocking her enough to make her jaw drop. She had never seen Mataras so sad before, ever. She had seen him angry, happy, annoyed, amused, and in whole other variety of moods, but never sorrowful.

"But… you," Mataras managed to say past the lump in his throat. "You remind me of someone very dear to me… Someone I loved very much… Someone I failed to protect."

"Who was it?" Sachi asked.

Mataras trembled violently, as the memories that he had tried to repress came to the fore. Looking down at the girl in his arms, he could only say: "Victoria… Sister." Then he collapsed from the strain.

* * *

When he awoke, he was in an unfamiliar setting. Bolting upright, he tried to make sense of his surroundings, his sleep-addled brain not totally up to full steam yet. It took him a moment, but he finally remembered collapsing the previous night and-

"Good mornin'," a deep, familiar voice said. Agil walked in, and Mataras realized that he must have spent the night in Agil's house. "How're ya feelin'?"

"Terrible," Mataras muttered with a scowl. "How long was I out? Where is everyone?"

"Kirito said that he was gonna leave you a message telling you what was happening," Agil shrugged. "Said something about following up with a girl named Yolko."

"When did they leave?" Mataras demanded as he threw the bedsheets off and stood up.

"A couple a' hours ago," Agil replied. "Shouldn't you get some breakfast before you go running off, man? You'll start losin' health points if you go too long without a meal."

"I'll eat on the way," Mataras said as he equipped his items for the day. "Thanks for letting me use your bed. I'll pay you back once we finish this case."

"Nah, don't worry about it," Agil said with a wave of his hands. "Kirito paid in advance."

* * *

Mataras caught up to his friends while they were on their way to Yolko's hotel room. Asuna and Sachi were escorting the girl while Kirito went to go fetch a lancer from the Holy Dragon Alliance by the name of Schmidt.

When he asked why they needed somebody from the Alliance, Sachi and Asuna took turns explaining how Yolko had once been in a small guild called the Golden Apple. The guild had been led by a woman named Griselda, a strong, capable warrior.

But when the guild found a rare drop item, they bickered over what to do with it, until it was put to a vote and the item was to be sold. However, when Griselda left to sell the item, she never returned, and she was later pronounced dead according to the Wall of Life on the first floor. Since nobody outside the guild had known about the item as far as anyone knew, each member began to suspect the other of murdering their leader, and the guild eventually disbanded, starting with Griselda's in-game husband: a player named Grimlock.

Devastated by the loss of his wife, he had publicly cursed everyone before leaving the guild and becoming a private smith, explaining how he would have been able to make the Guilty Thorn blade. Soon after him, Schmidt left to join the Holy Dragon Alliance, while everyone else went their separate ways for the most part.

Yolko and Kains were the only ones left that were still on good terms, although she did mention that she kept in touch with Schmidt from time to time. But to this day, it was still unclear exactly what had happened to Griselda.

"So why are we calling Schmidt over?" Mataras asked again once they had finished telling him the backstory. They had reached the hotel room, and Yolko was using the restroom.

"Because when they voted on what to do with the ring that was dropped, they voted whether to sell it or to keep it," Asuna replied. "The vote was five in favor of selling it as to avoid who should get to use it, while three of them wanted to keep it."

"Yolko and Kains were two of the three that wanted to keep the ring," Sachi explained.

"And Schmidt was the third, right?" Mataras finished. When the girls nodded, he said, "So what does Yolko think is happening?"

"She thinks that Grimlock is using some sort of skill to take his revenge on the people that voted to keep the ring, since they would be the most suspect in her murder," Asuna replied. "And I would agree with her, but given what Agil told us, that isn't possible."

Mataras put his fist on his chin, and furrowed his brow. "I'm tempted to play the devil's advocate and say that anything is possible, but I have a feeling you're right…" he muttered. "Still, the pieces are all here, even if we don't see them. The coveted ring, the murder, the death of Kains… But how does it add up?"

"There's another thing," Sachi said. "Something Kirito once told me. He said that the rules of SAO, as much as we don't want to admit, are essentially fair. There's certain rules that _can't_ be broken, like the safe zones."

"But somebody _is_ breaking them," Mataras sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off a headache. "Questions are who, and how?"

"It just _doesn't_ add up," Asuna agreed. "We must be missing something… Maybe Schmidt can help us out, tell us something we haven't heard from Yolko."

"That's probably our best bet right now," Sachi agreed with a nod. "Hopefully he can help us put this whole puzzle to rest." The room was silent for a moment before Sachi tugged on Mataras' arm and said, "Come with me for a minute."

He left the room with her, trusting Asuna to keep a watchful eye out for anything that might harm Yolko. When they stood outside, Mataras waited for Sachi to speak, saying nothing while he waited.

"So… I remind of your sister?" she asked timidly.

Mataras visibly flinched at the subject, and he replied quickly in a tight voice, "I do not wish to discuss this matter."

"Is that why you took me in?" the girl pressed.

"I said I don't want to talk about it," he repeated, paling.

"Just answer my question," Sachi replied.

"I don't want to," he said, paling further. He seemed to tremble slightly as he spoke.

"Please, Mataras," she begged. "If that's why you took me in, I don't want to do her legacy any harm in your mind. I want to know who I remind you of, what she was like."

"Perhaps I will tell you someday," Mataras said. "But not while the pain is still so fresh in my mind... Not while her death haunts my nightmares, not while I cannot find solitude or rest in my sleep."

Sachi seemed to sag slightly with disappointment, but she nodded. "Okay," she said. "I hope you do tell me someday. I'd like to know about her… Victoria was it?"

Mataras cringed but forced himself to nod. Before Sachi could go back inside, Mataras reached out and grasped her shoulder as she turned around. "Sachi," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked as she turned around.

"For putting you in a difficult position," he replied. "You have enough problems to worry about without listening to me gripe."

"Mataras…" she said softly right before hugging her companion. "That's why I'm here. This is what friends are for."

"Friends…" he mumbled as he weakly returned the embrace.

* * *

Schmidt was in a panic, that much was clear. The Moonlit Black Cats along with Asuna and Yolko had described everything that had transpired the previous day, as well as explained their theory that Grimlock was likely getting his revenge somehow.

"So that's what this is about…" he finally muttered. "But why did Grimlock wait so long? Why now?!" His voice began to crack with fear.

"Calm down," Mataras commanded. He seemed even more on edge than usual, Kirito thought to himself. "Panic will get you nowhere."

"But why?!" Schmidt repeated. He looked up at Yolko, who remained had calm throughout the whole ordeal. "How can you be okay with this, Yolko? How can you be okay with Kains being killed by some stupid vendetta?"

"Grimlock's wife was murdered," Mataras snorted. "I doubt that he's thinking very clearly right now, if at all."

"If Grimlock is really behind this, then he's put quite a bit of thought into it," Kirito countered. "He must have had a reason for targeting Kains. Schmidt, can you think of any reason that would set Kains apart from you two? As I understand it, you three were the ones that wanted to keep the ring, so the three of you share in an equal suspect."

Schmidt seemed to think for a moment before shaking his head. "No," he said heavily. "I don't have any ideas at all. In fact, I find it strange that he would target Kains before Yolko or I."

"What do you mean by that?" Yolko asked, sounding offended.

"Well, remember how Kains was the one to get the item to drop?" Schmidt asked. When Yolko nodded, he continued, "Well, even though he got the item drop, he immediately gave it to Griselda, saying that she should have it since she was the leader. He never had any intentions of keeping it, even from the start."

"Then…" Yolko let out a gasp and began to tremble violently.

"Yolko…?" Asuna asked, eyeing her nervously. "What's the matter?"

"It all adds up now," she said. "Grimlock was never behind Kains' murder. He may have made the weapon, but a player still can't kill in a safe zone."

"What's your point?" Mataras asked, shifting uneasily.

"My point is…" Yolko's eyes widened as she screamed out, "It must have been Griselda's GHOST! She's back from the grave to kill those that turned against her! Kains was first! Schmidt and I will be next! We betrayed her! We killed her! We-"

"YOLKO!" Mataras bellowed, cutting her off. The girl was so surprised at the sudden volume, she stumbled backwards to rest against the open windowsill. "Screaming and ranting about ghosts is not going to get us anywhere! So get ahold of yourself!"

"But she's right," Schmidt said, his armor making audible clanking sounds as he began to tremble as well. "Players can't kill in a safe zone unless it's a duel… But a ghost isn't bound by those rules… We're gonna die… Griselda's gonna kill us now… We're gonna die…"

"Now look at what you did!" Mataras snarled, turning back to face Yolko. Do you realize what-" His voice died in his throat as the girl suddenly sagged and turned around to lean heavily on the windowsill. There, in her back, was a black dagger.

"Oh crap," Kirito muttered. Then Yolko fell out the window, hitting the ground and dissolving into thousands of shards, leaving behind only the dagger to clatter onto the street. Both Mataras and Kirito looked down at the sight with shock plastered on their faces.

"Kirito?" Asuna asked as she moved closer to the window. "Is Yolko okay?"

"I'm not a healer," Mataras said when Kirito didn't reply. "But I don't like her chances."

* * *

**And yes, I know it seems like Mataras is just stealing some lines from Kirito right now, but just ride with me through to the next chapter, and I promise you'll start to see major character differences. Just trust me that far?**

**Okay, just to let you guys know, I will be putting up one more update on May 22 before I leave on a three-week vacation. I have prepared two chapters in advance, one to leave you guys with, and one to announce my return so that way you guys don't have to wait extra long to read my story again! Have a good couple of days, and I will see you all soon!**

**In the meantime, please keep the reviews coming! I love talking to you guys, you make writing so much more fun!**


	5. Foggy Murders

**A/N: So... I realize that I am a terrible, lying person... I didn't post this chapter before I left, and I feel awful about it! I am so, so sorry guys! I will be posting the second chapter in a little bit, and I am so sorry to make you wait extra long! Argh!**

**Anyways... Let's finish the 'Murder in the Safe Zone' Arc, shall we? ...Sorry again...**

* * *

Foggy Murders

Mataras and Kirito both looked up to the rooftops, driven by the same instinct. Their keen eyes sought out whoever must have thrown the knife, and their instincts did not disappoint. A black-cloaked figure with a hidden face, stood a number of rooftops away.

"Keep an eye on him!" Kirito shouted as he leaped from the windowsill to the next roof. Mataras was quick to follow, much to the frustration of their female partners. They were quickly gaining on the cloaked figure, despite their attempt to make a break for it.

"Take point," Mataras said as he leaped to a separate rooftop. Kirito wasted no time in throwing a trio of darts that he always kept at his belt at the retreating figure. To his frustration, they darts were deflected by a number of purple hexagons, indicating that the safety was still in effect for this player.

Mataras was slightly faster than Kirito, and he was getting ready to close in on the runner when he saw a flash of blue. _Is that a teleport crystal?_ He wondered. Then the town bell began to gong, and the figure vanished with a flash of light.

Both Kirito and Mataras stopped running at this point, anger etched on Mataras' face, and puzzlement on Kirito's. Mataras leapt over to meet his partner with the words, "So much for our lead."

"No, I think they may have given us more than they realized," Kirito said, almost to himself.

"How do you mean?" Mataras asked curiously.

"I'll wait to explain for when we get back to the girls," Kirito replied. On the way back, Kirito picked up the dagger that had impaled Yolko, and decided that from the way it was designed, it was probably made by Grimlock as well.

* * *

They were surprised when they opened the door to find a rapier being pointed at Kirito, held by Asuna, who looked angry. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she demanded.

"Sorry," Kirito mumbled. "We kind of had to make it up as we went. But still…" He slammed his fist against the wall, resulting in a purple hexagon that read 'immortal object'. "How is this possible?" he growled to himself. "The system is supposed to protect players inside the safe zones. How is this happening?"

"I thought you had something figured out?" Mataras demanded. "Something to go on?"

Before Kirito could reply, Schmidt said in a shaking voice, "That was… Griselda's robe… That must have been her ghost… Yolko was right… She's come back to get revenge…" He sounded like he was about to cry from his fear. "A player can't kill in a safe zone… But a ghost…? They don't have rules like us…"

The Cats and Asuna could see that he was close to snapping, and decided that it would be best for him to go back to his guild, away from the killing ground that had once been a safe zone. He agreed, but with great reluctance, shaking and babbling the whole time about how he was next to be targeted.

* * *

As they walked through the town square, Kirito finally opened up about what had been bothering him. "There are two things wrong with this picture," he began. "The first is, why would a ghost need a teleport crystal? How would they get ahold of it? That doesn't make any sense to me.

"The second thing is the rules of SAO. Although I've said it before, and I hate to admit it, the rules in Aincrad are essentially fair. So nobody should be able to just kill people in a safe zone as they choose, unless maybe they were the GM. The system protects us in the safe zones just as much as it tries to beat us in the field. There shouldn't be any biases in the game."

The others were silent as he spoke, and afterwards. He was right on both accounts, so there had to be another element at play here. But how could a player kill in a safe zone if they weren't a being from beyond the Nether?

The group stopped at a fountain to get something to eat for dinner. "Wait here while I get some food," Mataras said.

"No need," Asuna said as she opened her menu. "I figured that we might not have enough time to get something, so I brought these along." She passed out a number of sandwiches, much to her teammate's surprise. "What?"

"Did you make these?" Kirito asked.

"Yeah," Asuna said as she bit into her own meal. "The durability is gonna wear out soon, so make sure you eat it fast."

"Oh, sure," Kirito said. He took a bite, and was surprised by what he tasted. "This is really good," he exclaimed. "For a Vice Commander, you rock."

Asuna ignored the compliment and focused on eating her sandwich. Sensing the emerging tension, Mataras and Sachi did likewise. _Too bad Litrosh can't try this_, the Dragon Master thought to himself. _This really _is_ good._

Oblivious as usual when it came to social situations, Kirito pressed on to say, "I mean, if you weren't in a guild, you could make a killer living off of- Yipe!" The cry was drawn out when Asuna shot a glare at him, causing him to drop his meal. The sandwich hit the ground and shattered into tiny pieces.

"Aw…" Kirito moaned as he slumped down on all fours where the sandwich had been. When he stayed that way, and an inaudible sound seemed to come from his mouth, Asuna cocked her head at him.

"Are you crying?" she asked.

"SHH!" he hissed. Snapping his head up, he looked up at Mataras with a strange look in his eyes. "I was right!" he exclaimed "I- no, we- didn't see anything. We just thought we did!"

"What are you talking about, Kirito?" Sachi asked as she took another bite of her sandwich.

"The system doesn't allow kills in a safe zone," he replied as he straightened. "Our health points can't hit zero in a safe zone, no matter what. But the durability of an _object_ can still be depleted."

Mataras suddenly clicked on where his friend was headed with his theory, and everything made sense to him, finally. "When an object shatters, it looks a lot like when a player dies…" he said almost to himself.

"What are two dunderheads going on about?" Asuna demanded.

"Kains," Kirito said. "Back in the square, when the sword was through his chest. His armor's durability would've been wearing out, and when it broke, all he would have to do was use a crystal to vanish, and making it look like he died."

"But what about Yolko?" Sachi said with a frown. "We saw her get hit with the knife."

"Did we?" Mataras challenged. "Think about it. You said that Yolko went into the restroom to wash up, alone. When she came out, did she turn her back to you, even once?" When both Sachi and Asuna remained silent, he said, "I thought so. All she had to was _act_ like she was hit by our ghost- probably Kains dressed like Griselda."

"But why?" Asuna asked. "Why go to all this trouble?"

"Schmidt," Kirito answered immediately. "Remember how Yolko recounted the vote? Schmidt was one of the people that voted to keep the ring. Kains and she must have pegged him for the murder. And once they had him convinced that Griselda was out to get revenge, he might make a mistake and reveal his part in the murder."

"His part?" Asuna repeated.

"Yeah," Kirito nodded. "I doubt that he could have killed her by himself. She was the strongest member in the guild, so he probably had help."

"I'm going to argue with you there," Mataras interrupted.

"You think he did it himself?" Sachi asked.

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I don't think he killed her at all. He just doesn't seem like that kind of person. But he may have inadvertently played a part in it… Hmm…"

"What is it?" Asuna asked.

"Nothing," Mataras replied. "I just feel like I'm still forgetting something… eh, it doesn't matter now. We did our job: we found out who was behind the 'murder in the safe zone."

"Wait a minute," Sachi said with a frown. "What about Grimlock?"

"What about him?" Kirito asked.

"Well, Griselda was his wife, and he made the sword, and probably the knife, too," she said, her frown deepening. "So why wasn't he on this more?"

"What do you mean?" Kirito replied. "He was the one that made the weapons, so it sounds like he was pretty involved in this whole thing."

"It just doesn't seem right," Sachi insisted. "I mean, wouldn't he be the most eager to get revenge on the person that killed his wife? Why shouldn't he fake his death, too? Try and pass off as another ghost that wanted revenge? But we haven't seen him once this whole time."

Mataras put his hand to his chin, deep in thought once again. "You have a point," he said. "His actions don't make any sense if he was really as in love with Griselda as Yolko made him out to be."

"So what, now Grimlock is our suspect?" Asuna said sarcastically.

"Maybe," Mataras said seriously. "Tell me, Kirito. What happens to player's storage when they get married?"

"They get shared inventory," Kirito recalled. "Which means…"

"It doesn't matter who killed Griselda," Mataras finished. "The ring would automatically go to Grimlock, the psychopath." His voice was laced with pure venom at the end of his words.

"You guys are serious, about this, aren't you?" Asuna said.

"Dead serious," Mataras nodded. Fixing his intense gaze on the Lightning Flash, he said, "Open up your menu. See if you can still find Yolko on your friend's list." Asuna did as she was told, albeit with a bit of grumbling about being given orders.

When she had the other player up on her menu, to her surprise, she reported, "It looks like she's on the nineteenth floor at some sort of cemetery."

"Schmidt is there, too," Kirito added, scanning his own friend's list. "And I'd be willing to bet that Kains is there with them. Looks like they're about to get a 'confession' from the wrong guy."

"Then why are we still here?" Asuna demanded. "Let's go find them and tell them what's happening here!"

"I thought you didn't believe us," Mataras said a trifle smugly.

"Shut up," she growled. "Much as I hate to admit it, your theory makes more sense now that we know Yolko is alive."

"Why do you hate to say it?" Kirito asked curiously.

"I hate admitting that I'm wrong, especially to him," Asuna replied with a jerk of her head towards the Red Swordsman. "Ruins my image."

"There is one more thing we need to discuss while we're on the way there," Mataras added. "Let's get going." He handed the last of his sandwich to Kirito as he started walking with Sachi towards the town's teleport gate.

* * *

Not a half hour later, Mataras leaped off of the rearing horse he had been riding while Kirito fell off the back. Just as he'd thought, there were three red players standing over Schmidt, Yolko, and another man he assumed was Kains. All of them were under a massive tree that had a grave marker at its roots. Once Kirito was on his feet, they both drew their blades, one with a red guard, and the other, black.

From the skull-like masks, the black robes and weapon choices, it would have been easy to identify the players as members of the Laughing Coffin- the criminal guild that specialized in assassinations, and the ones responsible for inventing the murder method of sleep-kills.

"Why am I not surprised to see monsters like you involved in this?" Mataras snarled. "Where's your boss?"

"Sorry kid, but we're known for having closed lips," the one with a butcher knife replied coolly. "Usually because we're the ones keeping 'em closed." He and his two cohorts began to advance on the young blade masters.

"If you guys wanna stick around in a brawl that involves thirty members of the assault team, come and get some," Kirito said as he and his partner took their signature stances. "They're on their way right now."

The three murderers hesitated. They were fairly confident that they could win a fight against two teenage boys, even from the assault team. But an entire group was a different matter altogether. They quickly sheathed their weapons and walked into the fog without another word. It was time to cut their losses and go home.

Kirito and Mataras sheathed their own blades, with Mataras administering an antidote crystal to Schmidt. "So, what did we miss?" he asked.

"Wh- what do you mean?" Yolko asked in a dry voice.

"How did Schmidt tie into all of this?" the Red Swordsman said as he helped the lancer to his feet. "How was he involved in Griselda's death?"

In response, Kains had Yolko play a recording of Schmidt confessing to programming a crystal that would bind itself to Griselda's inventory, so someone could get into her room without her permission. It also covered how the lancer never knew that the intent was for Griselda to die, only have her robbed. The guilt and shame was all too clear in his voice, so Mataras nodded to himself once the recording was over.

"I should arrest you for conspiring to assault an individual," Mataras said as he glared at Schmidt. "But we have more important business to take care of."

"What do you mean?" Yolko asked. "Schmidt may not have killed her, but even he didn't know who her killer was."

"Then it's a good thing we do," Mataras countered.

"Kains, Yolko, level with us," Kirito said before they could start asking questions. "You had Grimlock make you those weapons, right? You told him your plan?"

"Yes, but he was against it from the start," Yolko replied. "He said that he just wanted Griselda to rest in peace. It wasn't until we got down on our knees and begged him for his help that he finally agreed to help us find Griselda's killer."

Mataras and Kirito both shook their heads, disappointed. This confirmed Mataras' theory even further. "Sorry, but he had a different reason for not wanting this to be investigated," Kirito said, turning to face the trees to his right. "Right, Asuna?"

"You guys called it," she said as she walked out of the fog with a man dressed in black, although much more cleanly than the Laughing Coffin members. Her rapier was pointed at his back, and Sachi was walking to his right with her own blue-and-silver sword drawn, ready in case he tried anything funny.

"Hello, comrades," said Grimlock. "Long time no see."

"Y-you killed Griselda?" Yolko gasped. When Grimlock's only response was to have his lips twitch upwards the barest amount, Kains had to restrain his friend from launching herself at him as she screamed, "How could you?! Was it because of the money?! Was the money so much that you'd kill your own _wife_?!" She collapsed into Kains' arms, sobbing. He and Schmidt were glaring at the man, whose smile had grown.

He chuckled a couple of times, until Asuna's rapier pressed into his back hard enough to start draining his health. "Money?" he said with a sigh. The rapier relaxed slightly as he began to talk. "Did you say money? Heh… No, money had nothing to do with it."

His eyes were cast downward, and sadness enveloped his face. "No… I had her killed because I had to. No matter what, I had to kill her while we were still in this game. I had to kill while she was my wife… Because she was my wife in the real world, too."

Everyone reacted with shock, even Mataras. What in the world was going through his sick, twisted head?

Seeing their faces, Grimlock decided to elaborate. "In a way, she was the perfect wife," he began. "So loving… So submissive. The whole time we were married, we never had a single fight. But then… we became trapped in here.

"She began to change, and there was nothing I could do about it. In here, she seemed more alive than she ever had in the real world, and I became the one afraid to step outside my own door. She changed, and the woman I loved was gone. Gone!" His face stretched into a terrible smile as he continued to explain his twisted reasoning.

"So I realized… If I couldn't have the woman I loved back, I'd just have to settle for the memory of her! Death _is_ a part of this game! Now I can cherish her memory forever!" For a long moment, no one spoke. No one knew what to say to this man, this monster.

When somebody did speak, it was almost in audible. "You…"

Everyone's gaze shifted over to Mataras, who was shaking with his eyes downcast and shoulders hunched. "You…" he said hoarsely. His eyes snapped up to reveal blazing silver orbs. "You… you sickening…" His sword was drawn. "Heartless…" The blade came up, and he began walking towards Grimlock. "Unfaithful…"

"Heartless?" Grimlock scoffed. "You're too young to understand, boy. When you find love, you'll do anything to keep it." He was so focused on the infuriated young man in front of him that he failed to notice Asuna and Sachi edging away from him.

The Moonlit Black Cats and Asuna had only seen this happen once before, and they that when it did happen, it was better to keep a distance when it did. Mataras had once been so consumed by his own rage that he had defeated a floor boss when everyone around him had been about to die. But when he was done, he hadn't stopped there.

During the fight, he had seen a player use his friend as a meat shield in order to retreat to safety. And once the floor boss was dead, the next to fall was the one that had sacrificed his friend to the floor boss.

He had been placed under house arrest for a month as a result, but they let him out after that because he was needed on the front lines again; and the assault team agreed, his actions had been somewhat justified.

Now it seemed that the same burning anger was threatening to take over him again. "You WRETCH!" he roared, charging forward. The first blow sliced off Grimlock's arm, surprising him. "No words in _any_ language have a foul enough word for those such as _you_!" Mataras shouted as he sliced off the corresponding limb.

"You have no love!" He shouted. "You only feel the desire to possess!" Grimlock's legs were quickly removed after that. He couldn't even cry out, he was so terrified. The sword began to rise, and Grimlock knew that his life was at an end.

Then something happened that no one expected. "Stop!" Yolko cried out. The sword froze in place.

"Mataras." Yolko's voice came from his left. Looking back, he saw the remains of the Golden Apple move to pick up Grimlock. "We really appreciate everything that you guys have done. But…"

"This is something that would be better left to us," Kains finished for her. "And yeah, thanks for your help." Grimlock didn't even protest in the slightest as Schmidt picked him up from the ground and slung him over his shoulder.

"Very well," Mataras nodded, his gaze still hard. "I would kill him if I were you, but… This judgement is not mine to give." He sheathed his sword and watched them go, though his face was still contorted with rage.

"Well," Kirito said slowly, "It's a good thing I don't have to arrest you again." Mataras shot him a glare, and the other boy decided to stay silent.

Realizing that he may have been too harsh, Mataras sighed and softened his gaze. "You have a point," he conceded. "Perhaps I shouldn't have acted the way I did. But I don't have it in me to watch murderers get off the hook so easily."

"I know, man," Kirito replied easily. "It's cool. But Laughing Coffin is starting to worry me."

"Starting to?" Mataras scoffed. "Why didn't they worry you before?"

"Let's discuss it over breakfast, huh?" Asuna interjected. "We should eat since we didn't get to finish our meal at the restaurant the other day."

"We should also get back to the front lines," Sachi added. "We've been away for a couple of days."

"Agreed," Mataras nodded. Before they could leave though, Asuna spoke again.

"Hey, Mataras, Kirito? And Sachi?" When they all turned to look at her, she asked, "If you married someone, and then they changed, how would you feel about it?"

Kirito and Mataras both stiffened with surprise, while Sachi just shrugged. She was still a couple of years younger than her teammates, and relationships held no interest for her yet. Eventually, Kirito answered, "Well… I guess if you married someone, and they changed… You married them because you already know what you liked about them… And if something changed that turned out to be a good thing, then that would be awesome?"

Mataras smiled slightly to himself at his friend. "You have a good head on your shoulders, Kirito," he said. "If a bit muddled, your words are as true as any wedding vows ought to be."

"What do you mean by that?" Asuna asked him.

"Exactly what I said," Mataras replied with a slightly smug smile. Then he stiffened, some buried instinct telling him to stay where he was. Turning around slowly, he saw a young woman standing in the light of the rising sun. She was beautiful, with delicate facial features and strong green eyes that seemed to smile. She was dressed in a dark robe, but underneath was a set of armor that matched her eyes perfectly. Somehow, without needing to be told, Mataras knew that this must be Griselda.

He grabbed Sachi's sleeve to force her to turn around. The young girl started to protest, but then she saw the figure, and her jaw dropped with a gasp, causing Asuna and Kirito to look back as well.

Regaining his composure, Mataras bowed to the woman and said in an uncharacteristically soft voice, "Rest in peace, Strong One. I bid you a happy life in eternity." The others looked at him for a second as he straightened, wondering why he was speaking to the ghost of a person that they had never met. But when they looked back, Griselda was gone.

"Come on," Mataras said as he began to walk away. "Let us leave the dead to their rest."

"Hey, guys?" Asuna said as they began to follow the red-cloaked warrior.

"What is it, Asuna?" Kirito asked.

"Do you wanna friend me? I mean, at this point, it'd be silly not to," she replied.

"But we're from different guilds, and-"

"Just think about it, while we eat, okay?" Asuna said as she patted Kirito on the arm. "No pressure, all right?"

"Uh… okay," was all that the young man could say. With that, the group headed back to town to get breakfast, a satisfied feeling in their hearts.

* * *

A grimy, black-cloaked figure let out a pained sound as he was thrown roughly into a dark room. He was bound hand-and-foot, with a well-placed gag on his mouth, muffling almost any noise he could make. It was a situation he had seen many times, but he'd never thought that he'd be in it himself.

The man was a player named Tabai, and he was a member of Laughing Coffin. As a matter of fact, he was in the leader's personal guard. So how he had been beaten to a pulp and then been kidnapped eluded him.

His kidnapper walked into the room and slammed the door shut behind him. His face was hidden by a dark cowl, but his mouth was easily visible, set in a grim line. "Time for us to have that talk we discussed earlier," his vibrant voice said.

* * *

"Mataras, why did you call this meeting on such short notice?" Asuna said as she yawned. They were in the usual meeting spot on floor fifty-nine, where the Moonlit Black Cats, the leaders of the Knights of the Blood-Oath, the best of the Holy Dragon Alliance, and the Furinkazan Guilds were all assembled in the middle of the night.

"I would like to know that as well," said an older man. His name was Heathcliff, and he was the Guild Master of Asuna's guild. He was arguably the strongest player in the game, and he rarely ventured into the company of others outside of his guild base except to participate in boss raids. Mataras' insistence on him being there meant that something big was about to happen.

"I know where the Laughing Coffin Headquarters are," Mataras replied, deadpanned. "And I plan to lead an assault to take them down. If I have my way, there will be no survivors."

This was met with an uproar of protests and counterarguments from virtually everyone in the room. "We can't do that!" Asuna cried.

"How can you suggest a mass murder?!"

"You wanna stoop down to their level?!"

"You wanna be the next Kayaba?!"

If they were tired before, they weren't anymore, Mataras thought to himself. Then he drew his sword from his back, slammed it on the table and roared, "SHUT UP! NOW!" His teammates were surprised that while everyone else quieted down, Guilty Thorn lay on the table, in his hand.

"First of all," he said with a smoldering glare, "I can suggest a _war of extermination_ because for every Laughing Coffin member we take out, we save ten, or even a hundred more lives. Second of all, I believe that all human beings who would kill others for money, or worse, for sport, deserve to die. And the third thing is that when I find Kayaba, the only association I'm going to have with him is with the business end of my sword here." And he sheathed his blade.

The others looked at him, stunned. Many of them began muttering amongst themselves, convinced that he was mental. That is, until one other player spoke up.

"Although I am loathe to admit it, your words do carry a bit of truth in them," Heathcliff said. "We cannot allow the red players to keep going as they please. And if everything we've done to capture their members up until now wasn't enough of a warning, then I say it may be time for their hour of reckoning."

"Commander!" Asuna gasped. "You can't be serious!"

"I wish I didn't have to be," Heathcliff said sadly. "But Mataras makes a valid point, Asuna. However, I cannot speak for everyone in my guild here, in this matter. I will support Mataras, but anyone in my guild that does not wish to participate in this attack will not have to. I can also understand that if you participate, you may want to take prisoners instead of killing them. I will suggest that we do so, but only at the risk of your own lives."

Silence reigned until Klein stepped up to speak. "We'll go," he said. "If some of you are willing to get your hands dirty for our sakes, I don't see why we shouldn't share in the blame."

"Thank you, Klein," Mataras said with a slight bow of his head.

"Don't thank me," the red-head said sharply. "I'm not looking forward to this."

Mataras nodded and said, "Believe me, I don't want to live with the blood of these people on my hands, but somebody has to. If it comes down to it in the real world, I will take the blame for our actions."

"Not alone, you won't," Kirito said. "I'm coming with you."

"And me," Sachi added, though her voice trembled.

"I'll go, too," Asuna sighed heavily. One by one, those that were present slowly agreed to add their support to the plan, though everyone was clearly uncomfortable about it.

This caused Mataras to nod to himself; this was how it should be. If they did not value life like this, they could easily end up replacing the Laughing Coffin, and the nightmare would only continue for the lower-level players.

Pulling up a holo-map, he showed them where he had scouted the guild's headquarters, and the best places to attack from. They were situated in a series of caves that were hard to navigate because of the fog that permeated the caves at all hours. When he was asked where he got the information, he simply replied that he'd paid off an informant. More than that, he refused to elaborate, although Kirito had a feeling that, knowing Mataras, foul play may have been involved.

_I'll ask him personally, later,_ he decided. For now, they had to get back to the relatively simple matter of planning the destruction of a red guild. _I just hope that this doesn't destroy us, too._

* * *

**So I know that a lot of people are probably getting ready to yell at me for two big reasons... Yes, I am aware that Heathcliff didn't take part in the Laughing Coffin raid in the original story, but obviously, this is not the original story, and there will continue to be minor little changes. Also, people will likely point out that Guilty Thorn is a spear, not a sword in the original. Well, since I like the design of the weapon, in my version of SAO, it is a sword. There.**

**Again,I feel so terrible for leaving you all hanging- thank you for your patience, and I'll release the next chapter here in less than an hour.**


	6. Dragon Blood

**A/N: Okay, as promised, here is the second chapter of the Red Swordsman I promised you guys. Again, I feel like a jerk for not keeping my promise, and I hope that you guys can forgive me for it. In this chapter, we will see the raid of the Laughing Coffin, as well as another one of the ten Unique Skills (invented by me, it's not canon).**

**In other news, please see my profile after this for an important announcement.**

* * *

Dragon Blood

They were in the caves in their selected groups. It had been decided ahead of time that they would travel in groups of four, the exception being the Furinkazan Guild, who refused to separate from one another. As such, Asuna had elected to accompany Kirito's guild.

They were at the vanguard of the larger group, while Heathcliff took his best at the other position of maximum danger, the rearguard. If the Laughing Coffin somehow saw them coming, they would be likely to try an attack with a surprise from the rear.

"The last time I was here to do reconnaissance, they were all in a cleared zone just past those pillars," Mataras said, keeping his voice low. A cleared zone was a rare occurrence in the world of Aincrad where a spawning point had been cleared so many times that the system didn't generate mobs in that area anymore, so it might as well have been a safe zone, save for the fact that players could still die in them if a mob followed them there. Or if another player decided to attack them. "The camp itself is pretty shabby, but I-"

"Look out!" Sachi screamed as she tackled Mataras out of the way from a flying knife. "Ambush!" she shouted at the rest of the people. The group instantly found themselves surrounded by fifty or so red players, all giggling and wielding nasty-looking swords and knives.

Mataras sprang to his feet and drew his sword from his back and spun it in a quick circle. He and his guild mates had gone on some dangerous quests specifically to acquire their current gear specifically for this mission.

The Black Swordsman was now dressed with a black coat that bore some white lines, called the Black Wyrm Coat. The shirt he wore underneath bore a silver crescent moon. His sword was a matching pattern, with a black blade and white edges: the Elucidator. Kirito was the white knight in black armor, ready to defend the players of Aincrad from those that would do them harm.

Sachi was now known as the Blue Swordmaiden, dressed in a blue jacket that buttoned together at the neck with mid-length sleeves and a hemline that fell down to her knees. Her garment bore a black crescent moon that was positioned just above her left breast. Her sword was a silver color with a blue, crescent-shaped cross guard: the sword known as the Moon Slayer. The rest of her clothes were also a dark blue, even her shoes. She was the angel that carried sorrow, ready to fight alongside her comrades, but bearing in mind those that had fallen.

Then there was Mataras- the Red Swordsman, armed with the blade, Guilty Thorn. His red jacket was made of what felt like light leather, open in the front with twin coattails that fell to his calves. His blood-red shirt bore the black crescent moon symbol of the guild, positioned on the middle of his chest. However, what set him most apart from anyone else present was the red-and-orange dragon perched on his shoulder, growling at the Laughing Coffin members.

But his eyes were perhaps the most frightening thing that many of his comrades had ever seen, though his enemies seemed unfazed. They were like twin tornado clouds: dark, yet flashing dangerously, waiting to be unleashed. He was the berserker warrior just waiting for the opportunity to unleash all of the pent-up rage that he had contained up until that point.

"Laughing Coffin," Asuna began. "We have you outnumbered with the intent of arresting you. If you surrender peacefully-" Needless to say, the red players weren't interested in surrendering peacefully. They attacked the assault team, forcing Asuna to stop talking and fight against the player-killers.

Mataras was nothing short of brutal in the encounter. To the shock of both friends and foes, his sword suddenly began to move in attack patterns all his own, unassisted and unrestrained by the game's skill engine. The sword didn't even glow as he moved between his enemies in ways that no one had even thought were possible. His dragon assisted him by distracting the murderers with fire breath attacks, causing them to take on burn conditions and dealing them some serious damage.

Whenever one of the murderers rose to challenge him, he beat them down and killed them without mercy or hesitation. Others yelled at him to stop the senseless violence, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. His primordial side was now in full control of his sword, and the violence he employed was tremendous.

* * *

Laughing Coffin started out with more than fifty members. By the time the slaughter was over, only ten remained alive, eight bound by ropes, and two of them having escaped. Kirito, Asuna, and Sachi were wiped, both physically and mentally. Mataras was the only one of the group still standing as he asked, "How many did we lose?"

"None," Klein said with relief as soon as he checked his menu. "We all made it."

"Good…" the boy said as he swayed, seemingly unsteady.

"Mataras?" Kirito asked as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

The Red Swordsman seemed to shake himself from a thought and he nodded sharply. "I'm fine. Let's just get out of here."

As they walked out of the dungeon, Sachi approached Mataras to speak to him privately. "Mataras, how are you really feeling right now?"

The boy snorted, almost as if amused. "I feel fine," he replied shortly.

"I know that's a lie," Sachi shot back, surprising Mataras with her assertiveness. "I've known you long enough to know when something is bothering you."

"Hmph," he scowled.

"Are you regretting having to kill those people?" Sachi guessed.

The only response Mataras gave for a moment was to let out a short bark of laughter. "No," he finally said. "I regret none of my actions today. Those scumbags forfeited their right to live by trying to play God and decide who lives and dies. They needed to be killed, and I do not regret the need to excise them from this world."

"But aren't you doing the same thing by killing them?" Sachi challenged.

Mataras let out a hefty _sigh_ and muttered, "My morals may be different than the general population, but they are still in effect. People like Laughing Coffin lack morals of any kind. That is what sets us apart."

For a moment, Sachi was simply speechless. Then: "You've got to be one of the strangest people I've ever known. You are capable of so much kindness, and yet you can cut down another human being without even blinking."

"I don't pretend to be a righteous judge passing sentence," Mataras replied cryptically. "I simply see myself as Justice's weapon, meant to be swung at anyone that comes within the range of breaking the laws of the world. If nothing else, at least I have the stomach to do what everyone else hopes to do, but cannot bring themselves to accomplish because of their self-doubt, wondering if they are really justified."

"You may be right, Mataras, but I still can't believe that killing other people doesn't have any kind of effect on you," Sachi sighed. "I think that some part of you must have died in order for you to say those things, let alone believe them."

"You… are right about that," Mataras admitted. "Much of my heart died a while back, and now all I have left is the memories of what it once felt like to love someone more than anything, and to be loved the same way in return."

"We do love you, Mataras," Sachi replied instantly. "Kirito and I. We're family, us three, helping one another in this death game."

The ghost of a smile touched Mataras' lips, but his eyes were marked with grief. "I do appreciate you saying that, Sachi," he replied. "And I say this without any intention of offending, but it's not the same, really."

"The same as what?" Sachi asked in earnest.

"The same as… the love… my sister and I once shared together…" Mataras' words were barely audible.

"Oh…" Sachi said. "You mentioned her before a few times. And… You said that she had died. But… what happened to her? I know you said you didn't want to talk about it before, but maybe letting something out will bring some closure."

"No," Mataras said, his face paling like it had the last time Sachi asked about his sister.

"Mataras, you're scaring me," Sachi begged. "In some ways, you're becoming more open, but in others, it seems like you've become even colder than before, ever since I asked you about her."

"Please…" he said, his voice tightening further. "Just drop it."

"I can't, Mataras," Sachi said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I said it before, and I'll say it again: I love you, like a dear brother. Please, let me be a sister to you. You took me in because I reminded you of Victoria. Let me keep reminding you of how much your sister loved you, even to the end."

"I don't know that she loved me at the end," Mataras smiled humorlessly, his eyes going dead as he spoke. "I'm the reason she was killed."

"What were her last words to you?" Sachi asked. "Just tell me that."

"She couldn't speak at the end," he said, his eyes shut tight as he stopped walking. "Her throat was cut open and she bled out. She died because she resisted the men holding us at knifepoint, because I was too afraid to act first. I was afraid that if I was to kill those men, then I'd be no better than them.

"But I killed them anyway," Mataras said. "I killed the three men that held us with their blades. If we weren't in the virtual world, I would show you the scar on the left side of my jaw, where the knife cut me. Victoria was unconscious by the time I was done with them, and by the time I got to the hospital, she was gone.

"The strange thing is, I don't care that I killed them now," Mataras said as he stared down at his hands. "I don't care if they had families or loved ones. I don't care if they were in a desperate place. I don't care if they were in a gang, or if a gang was forcing them to collect. The only person I cared about up until that point died that day. _That_ is my sole regret of my actions that day- that I was too slow to realize that sometimes inflicting death is necessary in order to protect those that you care about."

For a long moment, Sachi could say nothing at all. When she finally could speak again, it was a single question that she could manage. "So… What do you care about now?"

Mataras closed his eyes, and his face returned back to the grim mask he had been wearing. "I care… about you, Sachi," he admitted. "And Kirito. And, dare I say it, I even care about Asuna, too. But I know that if I lose anyone close to me again, what little is left of my heart will be drowned out in despondence- forever. And that is something I don't want.

"I just hope that somehow, someday, I can learn to share in regrets like the rest of you. Maybe then I'll feel… human again." Not a word was spoken by either of them after that.

* * *

Later on that day, it was decided that the assault team could take the rest of the week off. Many of them had been through extensive mental trauma during the assault, and the leaders of the guilds all agreed for once on the course of action.

The Moonlit Black Cats were each sitting on their chairs at the kitchen in silence. It was a long moment before Kirito finally stirred and said, "I hope we never have to do that again." He was obviously troubled by the actions that they'd had to take that day. Mataras guessed that it stemmed from him having to kill two players himself.

"Me neither," Mataras nodded. "I know that I was the one to suggest the raid, but I mostly did it because I didn't think anybody else would have the guts to do it."

"For what it's worth, I think you're right," Sachi said quietly. "But I still wish that we didn't have to do it." Neither one of them said anything about their earlier conversation. Both of them had an unspoken agreement that it would have to wait until later, as both sides of the argument were still dealing with some considerable pain, and it would not be wise to continue the debate in such an emotional state.

"We're the front lines," Mataras said with a dry smile. "We're supposed to do what everyone else is too scared to. Feels like we're either on a pedestal or the whipping dogs."

"Both titles come with drawbacks," Kirito muttered. "As beaters, people hate us. But take someone like Asuna, a fiercely attractive girl on the front lines, and she ends up with stalkers and the like."

"Hmm…" Mataras grinned slightly, as did Sachi.

"What?" Kirito asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Nothing," the others said.

Before Kirito could press the matter any further, there was a knock at the door. The Black Swordsman got up to answer it, and was surprised to see Asuna standing there with a shy smile on her face.

"Hi there, Kirito," she said. "Is it okay if I come in for a bit?"

"Of course," he said after he recovered his composure. "How come you're down here on Floor Two?"

"I wanted to check on how you all were doing," she replied as she walked into the dining room. "We are a team, after all, aren't we?"

"Of course," Sachi said with a warm-yet-tired smile. "But now I feel bad that we didn't think to check on you today. Sorry, Asuna."

"Don't worry about it," the Lightning Flash replied easily. She sat down as Kirito pulled out a seat for her and said, "If you've been hanging out with these two for a while, you're bound to forget something unless it's a sword skill."

"Says the one that didn't even know how to tag team on the first boss raid," Mataras muttered just loud enough for her to hear.

"Says the one that forgets to pack his own lunch," Asuna shot back.

"Ms. Kettle? Miss Pot called- she says you're black," the Red Swordsman said with a raised eyebrow. "I seem to recall teaching you how to improve on the taste of bread back then. If anything, your pursuit of cooking is thanks to Kirito and I."

"Yeah, but nowadays, you guys are happy just not to burn water, Sachi says," the chestnut-haired girl retorted.

"Yeah, well…" Kirito muttered. "How else are we supposed to get you to come and visit us?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Kirito knew that he'd made a mistake. Asuna's face flared red and she reached across the table to slap the boy, only being prevented by the system's safety mode.

"Sorry!" Kirito protested. "That came out wrong!"

"Really?" Mataras smirked maliciously. "How else were you supposed to say that?" Asuna's glare shifted back to the boy in red, who kept his smirk in place. Kirito groaned to himself, clearly uncomfortable.

Sachi took pity on her teammates and got Asuna's attention by saying, "So, Asuna, what do you plan to do with your next few days?"

"I'm planning on getting my rapier repaired by a friend of mine tomorrow," the other girl replied. "Her name is Lisbeth, and she's really handy with her tools. I always got to her for weapons maintenance."

"She's better than an NPC?" Kirito asked curiously.

Asuna nodded, he previous annoyance forgotten. "She actually maintains my new rapier." Asuna patted her Lambent Light affectionately.

"Can she make swords?" Kirito was now very interested. "Good ones?"

"As long as she has the right materials," Asuna nodded again.

"Sweet," Kirito nodded. "I know what I'm doing tomorrow. Where is this shop, anyways? I'd like to check it out tomorrow, if it's cool with you guys."

"Sure," Asuna agreed with a small smile. "How about we meet up for lunch on floor forty-eight, and I'll take you there afterwards?"

"Yeah," Kirito nodded. "I think that sounds good. We may check out the town for a bit while we wait tomorrow, but we'll be at the town square by noon. We haven't really been there since we cleared out the dungeon on that floor." The group fell into a contented silence for a little while. However…

"Actually, one of the main reasons I'm here is to talk to you, Mataras," Asuna said, suddenly catching him off-guard. "What was that you did when we were fighting Laughing Coffin?"

"To what are you referring?" Mataras replied uneasily.

"I'm talking about how you killed more than twenty people without even activating a sword skill," Asuna shot back. "Come to think of it, you actually did the same thing when we faced Illfang together- you never once used a sword skill."

Mataras sighed, knowing he was caught. "All right," he said. "I will tell you the truth, so long as you swear not to speak of this to anyone else unless I reveal the information publicly." Asuna swore to keep his secret.

Mataras sighed heavily again and said, "When I first logged in… I was given an extra skill by random: Dragon Blood."

"What is that?" Asuna asked, extremely curious.

"It's a skill that disables all my other attack skills whenever I have it activated," Mataras began. "And then I can use my weapon and body however I want without using another skill. The damage I generate is calculated by how fast and hard I swing my blade, and where I hit my target. As far as I know, I'm the only one that has this skill."

Asuna's jaw was hanging open, and it took her a moment to find her voice. "Y-you're not bound by the system? How…?"

"Like I said, I don't know," Mataras replied with a shrug. "I just opened my menu the day of the launch and saw that I had the extra skill, and a message explaining everything I just told you. It also said that I had been chosen as 'the lucky one of ten thousand to wield the dragon's power'. It has a certain sense of irony, seeing as I ended up with a dragon familiar." He scratched Litrosh's belly as it slept on the couch behind him. "And before you ask, no, my having a dragon has nothing to do with this skill as far as I know."

"But… why would you…?"

"My guess is that Kayaba gave out this skill at random, much like he gave your commander the Divine Blade," Mataras replied. "And it does beg the questions: how many of these unique skills are there? And who else has them?"

* * *

"Kirito, are you sure that's wise?" Mataras murmured, checking over his shoulder to make sure that Sachi was really asleep. It was late at night, and Asuna had long since left. "Buy a new sword and then not even equip it? Somebody will raise their eyebrows at some point or another if you don't at least store the elucidator, especially Asuna. She already figured me out, so you're probably next if you're not careful."

Kirito shook his head firmly. "I'll be fine," he insisted. "Not that many people know that I'm going to be buying a new sword anyway. Just the four of us."

"Yeah, but not even Sachi knows about yours, and I only found out by accident, same as you." Mataras' frown was plain to see, even in the dark. "You should at least consider equipping your new weapon."

"I might," Kirito nodded. "It just really depends on whether or not it's better than my elucidator or not."

Mataras shrugged and fell back on the bed, his arm protectively laid on Sachi's shoulder. "It's your funeral if anyone else finds out," he muttered before he fell asleep.

"I could say the same about you," Kirito chuckled.

* * *

The next morning, the small guild decided to split up for a few hours and meet back up at the predetermined time. Mataras wandered around aimlessly, letting his feet choose their own path as they willed. His thoughts blurred with the memories of the deaths that he'd inflicted as he walked alone. He still felt no remorse for his actions, but he still feared that his friends might view him as some kind of sociopathic monster, especially Sachi, after their argument.

He had done what he had needed to do, and he kept telling himself that if he had to lose his friends, the lives that he'd saved would be worth it. _But would it, really? _he wondered to himself, pushing the door open to a random shop.

As soon as he walked in, a cheerful voice called out, "Welcome to Lisbeth's Blacksmith Shop! Anything sharp is welcome to be sold or bought here!"

* * *

**As usual, I hope to hear from you guys via PM and reviews! It's good to be home, and I look forward to writing on with such a great audience!**


	7. Heat of Disaster

**A/N: Okay, I still feel bad about leaving you guys hanging for three weeks, so I worked all day yesterday and today to give you this chapter- I hope it's good enough for you guys.**

**In this chapter, we'll get to see Mataras and Lisbeth go on an adventure, and it might not be what you were expecting. Enjoy!**

* * *

Heat of Disaster

Mataras' eyes moved to fall on a short girl with hot-pink hair. She was standing by the door to her forge with a pleasant smile on her face. She looked to be about Mataras' own age, and she definitely showed signs of becoming a young woman. Her blacksmithing attire was also bright pink with a white smock. _So this is Lisbeth?_ He thought to himself. _What are the chances of that happening?_

"Good morning," he replied evenly to her greeting.

"How can I help you?" she asked as she walked a couple of paces closer.

"A friend of yours recommended your shop to me," Mataras replied. "And a friend of mine was looking to get a custom-order sword made, one-handed. He was going to come by himself, but I know what he's looking for, so I can get it for him now, if you have a sword made that's good enough."

"Um, okay…" Lisbeth said with a slight frown. "The thing is, metal prices are pretty high right now. But if you tell me what kind of quality you're looking for, we can get started if you have the funds."

"Money is not a problem," Mataras said with a slight shrug. "And I believe you're familiar with an elucidator?" Lisbeth's eyes widened at the mention of the rare sword.

"Y-you're friend wants one of those?!" she sputtered. "You do know that those only come off of monster drops, right? You can't make them, assuming they even really exist."

"No, he already has an elucidator," Mataras said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "He's looking to get something just as good, or better than that."

Lisbeth's eyes widened briefly in surprise, but then they scrunched into a thoughtful frown. "Hold on," she said as she moved behind the counter. When she came back out, she held out a rapier that looked a bit like the Lambent Light to Mataras, but with a longer handle. "Try this- it's the best sword I ever made."

"Hmm…" Mataras mused as he grasped the handle and drew it with a lightning-fast movement. "It's very light."

"It should be," Lisbeth said proudly. "I used a metal that enhances speed to make it."

Mataras raised an eyebrow at the girl before he slid it back in the sheath and tossed it back her. "Not good enough," he said contemptuously. "I'll have to tell your friend that I'm looking for big boy weapons, not toothpicks. Hopefully she knows someone else that can get us something like that."

"Wha-?!" Lisbeth's enraged voice couldn't even formulate an articulate sentence for a moment. "You-! I-! You're saying my masterpiece is a _toothpick_?!" She was furious.

"No, you are right," Mataras said as he started to walk out. "Calling it a toothpick would be far too generous. A piece of straw might be a better way to describe it."

"Why, you-!" Mataras smirked to himself as he heard the sound of a sword being drawn. He knew that even if Lisbeth were to hit him with the blade, the system's safe zone would prevent him from being harmed.

_Still, it's the thought that counts_, he thought as he heard her rush up behind him. As soon as he heard her footstep fall a few feet behind him, he ducked under the wild swing that would have hit him in the neck. Spinning fast, he drew Guilty Thorn and spun it in a wide-yet-fast arc that ended after it had struck the rapier.

Or rather, through the rapier. Lisbeth froze in shock as she realized that she was now only holding a hilt with a bit of the blade attached. The rest of the sword was on the floor. Then both pieces shattered as Mataras spun his own sword in a reverse circle and sheathed it on his back. "I told you that thing wasn't even worth calling a toothpick."

Lisbeth let out a soundless scream before grabbing Mataras by the collar of his red jacket. "Why the hell did you do that?!" she shrieked. "That was my masterpiece!"

"Why did you attack me?" Mataras replied in a bored tone.

"Because you're a jerk!"

"I could say the same to you," the boy scoffed. "I'd have thought that you'd have a thicker skin if you're friends with Asuna."

"Yeah, well-" Lisbeth froze. "Wait, you know Asuna?"

"She's the one that told me about this place," Mataras nodded.

"Wait…" Lisbeth slowly backed away as it began to dawn on her. "You're not… _that _Mataras, are you? The Red Swordsman?"

Mataras drew Guilty Thorn out a bit to show the red-and-silver design before saying, "None other. Besides, last I checked on the wall of history, I'm the only Mataras in the game." Then he slid his sword back into the sheath all the way.

Lisbeth paled. She'd heard stories about the Red Swordsman, about his merciless battling style, his ways of dealing with orange and red players, how even other assault team members feared him, and most recently, how he had led the assault against the Laughing Coffin guild. And if she had just attacked him…

Mataras saw her paling and smiled to himself, fairly certain of what was going through her head. "I think you now understand that throwing temper tantrums can be detrimental to your health," he said with a smirk. "That being said, good luck making better swords. This is a nice little shop you have- try to do it justice."

"Wait!" she said as he reached the door. "If I had the right materials, I know how to make a sword that you're looking for!" Mataras stopped with his hand on the doorknob.

"I'm listening," he said.

"If you help me go get the ore for it, I'll make you a sword as good as an elucidator," Lisbeth said. "But if this does happen, you're paying for both my masterpiece and the new sword."

Mataras chuckled to himself and turned back around to see a red-faced Lisbeth. "I'll pay you for the new sword its worth- same goes for your so-called masterpiece," he said. "And if I'm helping you get the material that means a price reduction."

"Fine!" Lisbeth snapped. "I don't even know why I'm helping you…"

"Probably because you know that getting a sword for Kirito gets Asuna points with him, and by putting up with me, you are helping out Asuna," Mataras chuckled. When Lisbeth froze up, Mataras smirked again and said, "Yes, I figured out that Asuna pointed this place out to us so that she could get closer to Kirito by getting him a good sword."

"Argh! Just shut up!"

"What? I'd say you also get something out of this," Mataras said.

"And what's that?! A broken sword?"

"Well, just imagine what would happen to your reputation if it was made known that not only the Lightning Flash that had her equipment maintained her, but that the Moonlit Black cats had one of their best swords made here," Mataras replied as he sent her a party invite. "You might have to hire an assistant with all the customer's you'll get."

Lisbeth accepted the invite as she muttered, "I can't tell if you're being serious or patronizing me…"

"Can I not do both?"

"Piss off!"

* * *

A few hours later, the pair was on its way up the mountain dungeon of floor fifty-five. Mataras had been joined by a small red dragon when they were walking through the town to the portal gate. Both of them sent messages to their friends stating where they would be going before setting off.

The wind wasn't harsh itself, but in the higher altitude the snow and sleet made it bitter cold. Lisbeth was shivering hard and muttering to herself when she felt something land on her head and obscure her vision. Something red- and warm. "What's this for?" she asked as she held Mataras' red jacket.

"I can't think with your teeth chattering like that all the time," Mataras replied as he kept walking. "Put it on."

Lisbeth was tempted to just toss the coat away, but it _was_ warm. She put it on and immediately felt better with the new piece of equipment on her shoulders. "Thanks, I guess," she muttered. "Are you going to be okay without this?" She noticed that he was only wearing a long-sleeved shirt on top now.

"Cold ceases to bother you when you have the right mindset," he replied. The dragon squawked as if in agreement.

"Even when he does something nice, he has to piss me off," she muttered to herself as she started walking to catch up. Clutching the coat around her, she said in an even softer voice, "This is warm, though."

* * *

They reached the area where the dragon was supposed to spawn two hours later with not another word having been spoke between them. The place a massive plateau riddled with ice crystals of all shapes and sizes, a truly beautiful sight. Here it was that Mataras turned back to speak to his party member. "Get under one of the larger crystals when the dragon appears and don't come out until I say, no matter what," he said. "If I die, teleport out. Don't try to play the hero and save me, just get away."

"Hey, I can fight with my mace!" Lisbeth protested. Before she could say anything else, Mataras grabbed her shoulder and brought his face invasively close to hers. The closeness shocked her, as well as the dark fire that she saw in his eyes. Never before had she seen such determination, not even when she saw Asuna at work in the field.

"Do. Not. Come. Out." He almost spat out each word as he drove the message home. "If you do something, I will not be held responsible by others for what will happen to you. Understand?" She could only nod in fright. "Good." He let her go and turned to face the field of crystals again. "Now hide. The dragon is coming."

Lisbeth didn't question him this time as she found a larger crystal and ducked under it. She could still see Mataras, though, and she wondered how he was going to solo a dragon with just a sword and a fire dragon familiar. The answer wasn't long in coming.

The giant silver crystal dragon dropped down from the sky with a mighty roar as it landed in front of Mataras, who had yet to draw his blade. He stood stock-still as the leviathan crashed down, sending a shockwave of ice and wind at him. His dragon squawked indignantly, but it remained perched on his shoulder, making no movement to attack.

Mataras eyes the beast coolly for a moment before he began to speak. "Greetings, He who rules the skies with breath of ice," he said loud enough for Lisbeth to hear. She shook her head, not sure that she was seeing or hearing things right. Mataras did not see this, though, so he kept on speaking to the white behemoth.

"I seek a treasure buried in your kingdom, He who makes the earth shake," Mataras continued. "And I do not wish to employ violence against you to obtain it. I ask for only until the morn to seek out my prize. Will you grant me passage, O ruler of the winds?" Lisbeth didn't know what was more insane- the fact that Mataras was talking to a boss mob, or that the thing seemed to be listening to him.

The whole time that he had been talking, the dragon was growling menacingly at the boy, but it made no move to kill him, even though he was wide open for an attack. Once Mataras had finished speaking, it snarled loudly and snapped its jaws at his face, coming just a few inches short of biting his head off, and almost making Lisbeth faint from the adrenaline rush.

The giant lizard slowly drew its head back and snorted once. Then it took to the skies, vanishing into the snow-filled horizon. Mataras turned back to Lisbeth and called, "You can come out now."

She did so slowly, making sure that the dragon was really gone before jogging over to Mataras with the words, "How did you do that?!"

Mataras shrugged in response. "I've always had a thing for dragons, even when I was little," he said nonchalantly. "Maybe this one just happened to have a thing for humans."

"No way," Lisbeth said with a fervent shake of her head. "That thing was just a mob- just a bunch of ones and zeroes in a computer. There's no way you can just negotiate with it. Seriously, how did you do that?"

"Ones and zeroes, eh?" Mataras snorted. "Tell me, Lisbeth: is your shop just a bunch of empty numbers with no meaning?" The question was so unexpected, Lisbeth failed to come with a response. Mataras nodded to himself and continued, "I didn't think so. Everything in this world only has as much meaning as you give it. Your home that you bought, the weapons that you created, the memories you make with each day- are they just ones and zeroes to you?"

Lisbeth's mind involuntarily flashed back over the past year and some months, touching on the memories that she had with a few friends, the shop that she had gotten ahold of and worked hard to pay off, the pleasure she found in making a tool that she knew could save someone's life, and the hope she felt that someday, somehow, someone would get them all home to the real world. "No…" she finally answered.

Mataras smiled slightly, though not a smirk this time. "Good," he said. "Then you should understand why that dragon need not have been fought." As he turned away, Lisbeth felt her face warm up slightly as she realized that when Mataras wasn't sneering or smirking, he was actually a rather handsome individual. Shaking her head to rid herself of that train of thought, she moved to follow the strange swordsman.

* * *

Mataras looked down at the giant pit that seemed bottomless, Lisbeth right beside him. "It's probably down there," he muttered with a scowl. "Wonderful."

"What makes you say that?" Lisbeth asked. "Shouldn't it be in a place like that?" She pointed to the largest group of crystals that stood next to a cliff side.

Mataras shook his head without even looking. "Too obvious," he muttered in the same tone. "Besides, if the rumors about this treasure are true, then it'd be here, in the dragon's nest. No dragon would ever let such a treasure rest anywhere other than its domain."

"How do you know this is the nest?" Lisbeth challenged. "I thought dragons liked pretty things like gems and made their homes out of them."

"Only if they're stupid, or enjoy being woken up all the time by robbers that want to take their things," Mataras shot back. "The smart ones make their nests a little more nondescript and hard to reach."

"How do you know that?!"

"I was a very lonely individual as a child," Mataras replied shortly. "You do a lot of reading when that's the case. Dragons fascinated me, so I studied them as much as I could. Apparently Kayaba researched similar lore when he designed this part of the game." Straightening himself, he began digging through his inventory for something to scale the wall.

Lisbeth waited silently for him to finish the task, saying nothing. When he pulled out an item, she was surprised to see that it was a long rope. "Hold this while I tie it to a crystal," he said as he handed her the bundle.

"We're gonna rappel down there?" Lisbeth asked.

"Yes," Mataras nodded as he wrapped the rope around a thick gathering of crystals. "This rope is somewhat elastic- it can go up to three hundred feet in length, or so I was told. I've never had to stretch it that far, though I suspect that may be the case this time."

"Wait, you don't know if this will reach the bottom?!" Lisbeth gasped.

"No," Mataras shrugged as he finished tying the knot. "But there's no other real way to test this thing, is there?"

"You're insane," Lisbeth replied after a moment.

"I already knew that," Mataras said as he took the rope from her and tossed it into the hole. "Try something new and tell me something I don't know."

* * *

The climb down took some time, but even Lisbeth's strength stat was sufficient to get the job done. The rope went down all the way, to the surprise of both teenagers with some room left to spare. "Well, that was a nice little climb," Mataras said as he stretched his arms. They weren't really 'cramped', but it was an old habit that his body was still into, even after nearly two years within the game.

"Yeah, but for once, I'm glad that this wasn't IRL," Lisbeth muttered. "I'd have had blisters and rope burns all over my arms if that was the real deal. So where's the ore?" Looking around, there was nothing but a flat blanket of snow underneath their feet. And the walls didn't seem to have anything of note buried in them, either.

"Under our feet, I imagine," Mataras replied easily as he began digging through the snow with his hands. "Help me look, would you?" Confused but curious, Lisbeth began digging in another spot. Litrosh also seemed to want to help, for he began snorting fire bursts at the snow and melting shallow holes in his search.

"Why are looking here?" she asked.

"Simple," Mataras answered. "The rumor states that the dragon makes this rare ore. However, seeing as they lack any kind of building materials, that leaves one explanation." He grinned broadly as he dug down deeper and pulled out a bluish-silver ingot.

"Is that it?" Lisbeth asked, surprised.

"You tell me," Mataras said as he tossed her the item. "Look familiar?"

Lisbeth appraised the item and found its name to be 'crystalline ingot'. "Yeah…" she admitted. "It looks kind of like the crystals up above, only more solid."

"Thought so," Mataras grinned again. "The dragon up there eats crystals to restore its health, according to some of the raid members that failed this quest. What they don't realize is that the extra has to go somewhere. And that extra so happens to make a rather rare ore." He gave the ingot a pointed look.

It took Lisbeth a moment, but then she realized that what she was holding was the mentioned 'extra'- the dragon's waste product. "GROSS!" she snarled, hurling the ingot back at the young man, who caught with a deft twist of his wrist.

"Well, we have what we came for," Mataras said as he stored the treasure. "Hop on my back- I'll get us out of here sooner than if we climb individually."

The unexpected offer caught Lisbeth by surprise, but she had to wonder again if she was being insulted by the strange swordsman. Nonetheless, she hopped on his slightly crouched back, surprised to feel a strong frame underneath the red shirt. He may have been thin, she realized, but it was all muscle. She felt her face growing hot again and she was glad that Mataras couldn't see her face- he seemed to be able to read her thoughts just by looking at her.

* * *

When they reached the top, Mataras set her down easily and wrapped up his rope to put it back in his inventory. They headed out without a word, one of them satisfied with the state of the quest, and the other unsure of what to say. Litrosh flew about, enjoying turning the snowflakes into steam with pinpoint pricks of fire.

They were about to reach the edge of the field when Mataras put his arm out in front of Lisbeth to stop her progress. "Hold on," he said quietly. In a louder voice, he said, "I know you're hiding out there- come out before I make you." He had a sense of déjà vu as a party of six came out from the edge of the crystal field, all orange players.

However, unlike Titan's Hand, these players were not dressed and armed in a ragtag manner- they were fully equipped by the Holy Dragon Alliance armory. The leader, a large axe-wielder, stepped forward and said, "You knew we were here- so you can also guess why. Hand over the ore."

Mataras sniffed with a snarky grin. "No, I don't think so," he replied evenly. "You are right: I did know you were there. I also know how this next part is going to play out. Listen carefully- I'll even talk slow enough for you to understand."

The orange players growled and hefted their weapons as they began to advance. Mataras still seemed unworried, which Lisbeth knew by now that things were probably going to be fine. So she backed up a few paces as he drew his own blade and began to talk in a bored tone, "You are all going to fight me, in the process of which I will kill your leader to demonstrate that I can, but only after wounding all of you without so much as a scratch on me. You are then going to use your own teleport crystals to land yourself inside the dungeon, because I can't be bothered to use my only corridor crystal. Then Lisbeth and I are going to go home and make a friend of mine a new sword."

It was the easy, matter-of-fact tone in which he described their fates that set the group ill at ease. They all hesitated, even the leader. But then common sense reasserted itself. This was a boy armed with a rough-looking sword and a girl with a small hammer. This was no challenge, especially for people that were strong enough to secede from the Alliance by force. Then a red dragon landed on the shoulder of the boy with familiar ease, and they suddenly had a sinking feeling in their guts. Only seven people all of Aincrad had dragons as pets, and only one player in had a fire dragon as a familiar.

The leader didn't even get to finish the curse word he had prepared in his throat before Mataras began showing that he may very well have had the ability to see into the future.

* * *

On the way back to Lisbeth's forge, Mataras sent a message to the Schmidt from the Alliance that the job was done with. "That was easier than I thought it would be," he said with his natural smile to Lisbeth. "I was planning on going after those guys after I'd had the sword made, but I guess I just have that kind of luck."

"Um, Mataras?" Lisbeth asked nervously. "Why did you kill their leader? Wasn't that kind of… excessive?"

"No, it wasn't," Mataras replied, the hard light back in his eyes. "I killed him because the man robbed a friend on her birthday- the little girl is only thirteen, and she's already been through a lot this year." He remembered receiving a message from Selica about the theft of the gifts that the Moonlit Black Cats had given her soon after they had been with her for her birthday. His blood had boiled, and when Schmidt had approached him in private with an offer to take down a rouge group of players, Mataras had eagerly accepted once he had learned the names of the people in the group.

Fortunately, Pina and Selica were both alive, so there had been no need for another pneuma flower episode. Mataras had promised the little girl that he would get them back for what they did, much to her relief.

"Mataras," Lisbeth sighed, "You're really weird, but I guess that just goes to show that you really do have a heart in there, somewhere."

"Thank you," Mataras replied with a grin. "I half-suspect that you were being sarcastic, but I will take it as a compliment nonetheless." Lisbeth was tempted to glare at him, but instead, she returned the smile and allowed a slight flush to creep into her face.

When they reached the shop, the two of them went back into the forge where Mataras handed her the ingot. "You wanted a one-handed sword, right?" she prompted as she put the ingot in the fires.

"Correct. Let me see what you can do," Mataras nodded, a serious expression on his face. Then he held up a finger. "Oh. And, I owe you this." And he sent her a number of col that made her jaw drop. "That is your down payment."

"F-five hundred thousand col?!" she sputtered. "Th-thanks?!"

"Why does that sound like a question?" Mataras asked. "I should think that thanks are in order- you should only be getting half of that, seeing as I went with you."

"What is all this money for?!" she nearly shrieked.

"For a good adventure," Mataras replied easily. "I enjoyed our little excursion, and I don't get to show off my dragon knowledge very often. I suppose you could say that money is meant to be my way of saying 'thank you for putting up with me'. I'm not completely heartless."

"Oh…" Lisbeth said. "Well, then… Thank you, Mataras. I had a good time, too, believe it or not." A slight blush came into her face, and Mataras frowned slightly at it.

Before either one of them could say anything else, the ingot was ready, and Lisbeth set to work. She was completely focused on her job, so Mataras simply sat in silence, not wanting to interrupt her. When the last stroke of the hammer fell, the ingot glowed brightly and began to change shape rapidly.

Mataras got to his feet and stepped up to the anvil to get a better look. When the sword cooled down, a beautiful blade rested in place of the rough-looking ingot. "Amazing," he said as he looked down at it.

Lisbeth appraised the item and read aloud, "The Dark Repulser." Mataras picked it up and swung it a few times, the air rippling with the power of the sword skill he employed. Lisbeth eyed him carefully, impressed by how easily he was wielding it. "It is good?" she asked.

Mataras turned to her with a grin and said, "It is. I would go so far as to call this one a real sword." Lisbeth smiled at the attempt at a joke. "So how much do you want for this? Name your price," Mataras said as he put the sword in his inventory. "Oh, and could you add a scabbard to the package?"

"Scabbard is free," Lisbeth said as she tossed him one off the wall. "And… Well… No charge for this one." Her face flushed a deeper red than before, and Mataras had a sinking feeling in his stomach. "I… I just want you… To come back here- every day. I want to know all about your adventures, all of 'em!" Her eyes shone with hope as Mataras added the scabbard to his inventory.

Then he manipulated his savings again, and sent Lisbeth an even more staggering amount: "A million col?!" she gasped. "Mataras, I just told you-"

"I know what you told me," his hard voice striking like a whip. Lisbeth actually flinched from the force of his tone. "But what you are seeking, I cannot give." His eyes were darker and harder than any sword Lisbeth had ever forged. "Find someone else to give meaning to this world for you- I can't do that."

Lisbeth's eyes fell, and tears could be heard dripping on the stone floor of her forge. Mataras turned his back and walked out with the words, "Take care of yourself. And thanks again for the sword."

* * *

"_What is wrong with you_?!" Asuna shouted as she slapped Mataras. "Lis was crying to me for _five hours_!"

Mataras simply raised an eyebrow as Sachi and Kirito edged away. "So somehow it's my fault that your friend can't take rejection? She had an infatuation- she'll get over it soon enough." He shrugged as he spoke.

Asuna groaned as she sat down in a chair. "Mataras, you really need to work on your people skills," she muttered. "You can't just go around breaking someone's heart like that. Especially after you tell her about how to give this world new meaning."

"So I have an issue with being too honest, is that it?" Mataras challenged. "I think that I will retain my hold on that problem, if it so pleases you, Miss Lightning Flash. The thing is, I learned long ago that if you take that little voice inside that tells you to be kind and tactful, and shoot it in the face, life is much, much easier." His voice was layered with sarcasm as he addressed Asuna by her nickname.

"Mataras…" Sachi said warningly.

"Sorry," he said quickly. Sitting down as well, he faced Asuna and said, "Look, I am sorry that I don't operate the same way as the rest of society. But I will not stop speaking the truth as I see it either, just because it makes others uncomfortable."

"At least you're comfortable with knowing that you can handle the consequences of your actions…" Asuna sighed. "Did the sword meet your standards, at least?"

"Ask Sachi," Mataras said with a jerk of his head. Asuna was surprised to see that the small girl was now armed with a light blue sword. She hadn't noticed earlier in her rant against Mataras.

"But I thought that the sword was for Kirito…?"

"It's a great sword, don't get me wrong," Kirito said with a reassuring grin. "But I still like my elucidator better. And since I don't need two swords of the same value, I figured Sachi should have it."

"Oh," Asuna said, somewhat crestfallen.

"Hey, I'm really glad that you told us about that place, Asuna," Kirito said as he lay an easy hand on her shoulder. "This way if we ever find a better ore, I can get Lisbeth to make me a better sword. I just have to make sure to go myself next time." He added the last part with an easy smile, and everyone else had to chuckle slightly.

* * *

**Well, then! Sachi now has the Dark Repulser! How about that?!**

**And Lis gets her heart broken in this world, too... Sorry, Lisbeth fans, but it had to be done. But, look on the bright side- Asuna has no competition for Kirito's heart now! In any case, thanks for reading, as always, I'd love to hear from you guys, so send me a review or a PM.**

**Next time... Floor 74.**


	8. Ragout for Two

**A/N: Hello, readers! The Red Swordsman is up for some action this chapter, as are his friends!**

**I'm really liking all the reviews a mesages you guys are sending, so keep 'em coming! We nearly hit forty reviews with last chapter- maybe with this one we can hit fifty? Who knows? Now enjoy the adventures of Krito and co.!**

* * *

Ragout for Two

_Two years,_ Mataras thought as he watched Kirito walking ahead on the forest path. Litrosh was perched dutifully on his right shoulder, while his 'adopted sister' walked on his left. _Two years of Kirito and Sachi's lives have been stolen from their families_. He knew that the two of them were fine as they were, living life as best they could here in Aincrad. Yet after two years, they were only just getting ready to clear the seventy-fourth floor.

Mataras knew that many people, both inside and outside the game were counting on people like them to finish things as fast as possible. He wondered how Sachi's family was holding out in particular. She had told him some time ago that her father had left her and her mother when she was very little, and she didn't even really remember him anymore. How her mother was coping, he had to wonder.

"Mataras?" Sachi's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "Are you okay? You've got that look on your face again."

Mataras smiled and clasped her shoulder gently with the words, "I'm alright. I just had some thoughts about what must be happening in the real world. I was wondering how your mother must be feeling right now."

"Well, I have an uncle who we visited pretty often, so I'm sure that he's taking good care of my mother," Sachi replied with a thoughtful expression. "He and my aunt always got along with mom very well, so I think she's in good hands."

"That is good to hear," Mataras nodded.

"What about you? Did you have any friends in the orphanage that you were especially close to?" Sachi asked, hoping that he would not brush off the question.

To her surprise, he thought for a moment, then said, "I wasn't _especially_ close with anyone. But I did have a few friends that I would study and eat with. There were the triplets, Erak, Tybalt, and Hannah. The boys were always trying to get me to laugh, and to a degree, they would succeed. Hannah liked reading almost as much as me, so we would trade books from time to time. Then there was Daniel- he was pretty much the guy in the orphanage that everybody liked. He was always trying to find ways to help out the orphanage, especially with the younger kids. The five of us were the oldest in the place, so I guess it made sense that we would become friends. I just hope that they've been adopted by now by people that will love them, despite the fact that they're teenagers."

"How old are they?" Sachi asked curiously.

"The triplets were all roughly a year younger than me, and Daniel was a few months older than I," Mataras replied with a frown. "So I suppose it's rather unlikely that they were adopted. They're all old enough by law to be counted as independents, so they may have been forced to move out… I hope that they at least found jobs."

"I'm sure they're fine, Mataras," Sachi replied with a reassuring smile. "Are they from overseas like you?"

"Yes, which is another reason we all stuck together so much," Mataras nodded. "We came in at different times, with Daniel being the first, the triplets last, Victoria and I in the middle." Sachi's eyes snapped over to look up at her friend, half-expecting him to be having another panic attack. But for the first time since Sachi had met him, Mataras showed no signs of having a breakdown as he mentioned his sister's name.

Secretly, Sachi's heart lifted with joy, but she managed to keep her expression neutral. Before she could say anything, though. Kirito held up his right hand with the signal that they had worked out for the party to freeze. Both of his guild mates froze without a word.

The Black Swordsman reached for his waistband, which held a number of throwing darts, and selected one. Slowly, carefully, he drew his arm back and activated his thrown sword skill. Following his intense line of sight, Mataras and Sachi tried to see what he was aiming at.

They got their answer a second later when the dart sped through the air to strike a tree, causing a small mob to panic and leap high into the air. Mataras' eyes widened and Sachi gasped as they saw the mob handle: Ragout Rabbit. The single mob with highest flavor rating drop item in all of Aincrad.

Kirito's second dart hit it straight-on, killing it in one shot. When he turned around, he set his menu to visible mode and showed them the prize, his face split with a giant smile.

* * *

"Holy crap!" Agil gasped. "An S-class rare item?! I- I've never seen one before!" Looking up from the menu to Kirito, he said, "You sure about this, man? I mean, I'll gladly buy it, but wouldn't you rather have it for dinner?" Kirito was standing in front of the massive axe-wielder's counter while Mataras and Sachi were lounging in the chairs by a window, with the Red swordsman's eyes closed and his body leaned back.

He was tired, having been using his Dragon Blood skill more often in field, which stretched his imagination as he figured out new ways to use it. Although, he kept it off when in town and around large groups of people. The only time he had used it in front of others was when everyone was too distracted to make sense of what he was doing, like during the first boss raid, or when he saved Sachi, and the raid on Laughing Coffin. He knew that some people suspected something of him, but without any solid proof, the masses left him alone. His dragon, Litrosh, was napping peacefully on the window.

"Believe me, he would," Sachi said with a rueful grin before her guild leader could reply to the shopkeeper. "The problem is, even my cooking skill isn't high enough at eight hundred-forty to risk making it. I have about a one in four chances of burning it and then we lose big time. To make it right, I'd need a skill of nine hundred, maybe nine-fifty."

"Yeah, we just decided that it'd be better to sell it and make a profit," Kirito sighed. "It is a shame though…"

"Kirito?" A familiar voice asked, prompting the mentioned boy to whirl around and grasp the arm attached to the finger that had just poked him.

"I've got a chef!" he said.

"Uh… What chef?" Asuna asked, confused. A man wearing a knight's armor that was standing behind Asuna scowled at the black-coated boy, who released his friend's hand and stepped back with his hands spread.

"Hey there, Asuna," Kirito grinned. "I didn't think you frequented dumps like this." Behind him, ignored or unnoticed by Kirito, Agil frowned slightly at the insult to his shop.

"Oh, shut up," Asuna said with a frown. "I just came down to see if you were still alive. You know it's almost time for the next boss raid, right? Or did you forget?" She smirked at the boy as she spoke.

"Did you forget that you can just look up on your friend's list to see if we're alive?" Mataras' dry voice reached Asuna just loud enough for her to hear. She glared at the boy, whose eyes were still closed, though a smirk was etched on his face.

Suddenly the man who had been standing behind Asuna exploded, anger written all across his face. "Do not speak to Lady Asuna in that manner!" he snapped as he advanced on Mataras. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became very tense.

Mataras smiled lazily, though he showed no other signs of moving. To those that knew him, though, they knew that this was the sure sign of the dam about to break. Agil shot a look to Sachi that clearly read, _Please don't let him break anything_.

But to the surprise of everyone in the room, Asuna grabbed the man's forearm and yanked him back, saying sharply, "Don't talk to my friend like that, Kuradeel."

"But, ma'am!" Kuradeel protested. "He should be showing you proper respect! He has no right to-"

"I said drop it," Asuna snapped. "I'm ordering you to stand down and wait outside." Kuradeel ground his teeth and stomped outside, looking like a child who had just received a scolding from his mother. The girl sighed heavily before turning back to Kirito and saying, "So, what's this about a chef?"

"Huh?" Kirito asked, nonplussed for a second. "Oh, right. I need a favor." He pulled up his menu and set it so that Asuna could see the item that he had been about to sell.

Her eyes widened as she saw the rare item drop. "Ragout rabbit?!" she gasped.

"Yeah, how high is your cooking level?" Kirito asked as he shut his menu.

Asuna grinned confidently and said, "Totally maxed it out last week. Pretty impressive, huh?" Sachi's jaw dropped and Mataras' left eye shot open for a moment before closing it again.

"Cool," Kirito grinned. "All you gotta do is cook it for us, and I'll let you have a little bite." He was suddenly yanked forward by his collar as Asuna grabbed his jacket and placed her face invasively close to his.

"I'm getting the same amount as the rest of you," she said with fire in her eyes. "Deal?"

"Uh, sure," Kirito gulped. Asuna released him, pumped her fist in the air and smiled excitedly in a manner that none of them had ever seen before. Mataras' left eye shot open again. There was definitely more to that happiness than a little rabbit, he thought.

With that in mind, he said with eyes closed again, "Why don't you just share the dish with Asuna, Kirito? You caught it. Sachi and I just watched, and it's not as though we can contribute to the meal." Unseen by Kirito and Asuna, Mataras opened his right eye a fraction and looked at Sachi, hoping that she would get the message.

The girl nodded ever so slightly before turning to the others and saying, "Mataras is right. You two, enjoy the dinner. Besides, if we split it in four, there won't really be enough to go around in a fair amount."

"Uh… Okay?" Kirito said, not entirely sure why his teammates were passing up on a chance to even taste the food that some people would kill for. Asuna, on the other hand, understood exactly what Kirito's friends were up to, and smiled. Sachi returned the smile while Mataras simply got to his feet and stretched without opening his eyes.

"Hey, what about me?" Agil asked. "You can at least let me taste it, right?"

"I'll right a two-page review for you," Kirito grinned at the shopkeeper. "It'll be about eight hundred words, but that's all I can do with my busy schedule." And he began to walk out, followed by Asuna and Sachi.

Only Mataras stayed behind to hear him say, "Dang, that is cold…"

"What did you expect him to pick?" Mataras replied, with his eyes still closed. "A dinner in a run-down shop with you and a friend? Or a private setting with a beautiful, intelligent young woman, just the two of them?" Agil hated to admit it, but Mataras made a good point. Opening his eyes fully at last, Mataras walked outside. Litrosh flew from his perch on the windowsill to land on his master's shoulder.

The group was just outside with Asuna engaged in a tense debate with Kuradeel. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I cannot allow you to go home with such shady characters," the man was saying, obviously restraining his temper.

"I don't know the extent of their shadiness, but I know their abilities in battle pretty well," Asuna replied smugly. "In fact, they each have at least ten levels on you."

"Are you suggesting that I am inferior to them?" Kuradeel's forehead bulged with a vein. His left eye twitched once or twice. "Wait… They're beaters, aren't they?"

"Yeah. What of it?" Kirito replied with slightly narrowed eyes.

"You shouldn't go with them, ma'am!" Kuradeel's voice pitched louder, drawing the attention of a number of onlookers. "All their kind care about is themselves!"

Mataras smiled that lazy smile of his again, hand going up to rest on the hilt of his sword. His dragon growled slightly at the offender. "Kuradeel, you are making a scene where there doesn't need to be one," he said. "Your commanding officer has told you to stand down, and you have not. So I'm going to use a rule that has worked with a number of my opponents in the past." The sword was drawn, and the crowd gasped.

"That's the Red Swordsman!" a man's voice in the crowd whispered.

"From the Moonlit Black Cats?" another said in surprise.

"Is he gonna fight that guy from the KOB?"

Mataras ignored them all and focused on staring down Kuradeel, who looked positively furious at this point. "I'm going to give you to the count of three to turn around and walk away," he said in a very flat voice. "One."

"You must be joking!" Kuradeel shouted. "I am a member of the Knights of the Blood-Oath! I will bow down to no one!"

"Two." Mataras' count was unhurried, relaxed. His sword had not yet moved.

"I really wouldn't test this guy, Kuradeel," Asuna said. "He's the one that wiped out half of Laughing Coffin by himself." That seemed to finally click with the crazed knight. He took an involuntary step backwards, but hesitated one last time.

"Three." Mataras' sword came up, then flipped around so that the Red Swordsman was holding it in reverse. Before anyone could wonder what he was doing, Litrosh leaped off of his shoulder as he rushed forward almost too fast for the eye to follow and smashed the hilt of Guilty Thorn into the man's jaw, sending him crashing backwards in the dirt, stunned or unconscious. Even though they were in a safe zone, and Kuradeel didn't actually take any damage, the knockback was sufficient to accomplish what Mataras had in mind. A number of the crowd made sounds of surprise, but Mataras ignored them, spinning his sword in a fast circle before sheathing it smoothly with a speed of long practice.

Turning to face his friends, he smiled pleasantly and said, "Well then, Asuna. Since your current guild mate is out of commission, would you care for an escort back to your home?"

"I would," she said with a smile in return.

"Kirito, can you handle that?" Mataras asked.

"Sure," the other boy said, sweating lightly. Turning to Asuna, he asked, "Uh… Is Mataras gonna get into trouble for that?"

"I'll vouch for him," Asuna said as she walked off with Kirito. "But all the same, I'd leave before he wakes up, okay guys?"

"We will," Mataras nodded. "Have fun tonight, you two." Asuna and Kirito walked away, and Mataras watched them go for a moment, smiling. Turning to Sachi, he said, "Now, I guess we should head home and get something for dinner, eh?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "That sounds good."

* * *

After dinner, Mataras and Sachi were sitting on the couches in their house, one reading the newspaper and the other going through her inventory, trying to decide what to sell. When she had finished doing that, she mustered up her courage and moved to sit by the young man she sometimes called brother. "Do you mind if we talk about Victoria?" she asked.

Mataras blinked once and laid the paper down carefully before he spoke. When he did, he closed his eyes and nodded, saying, "Yes. I suppose it's finally time for me to talk about her." Sachi clasped Mataras' hands in her own, waiting for him to speak again. Now that the moment was at hand, she didn't want to rush him, fearing that he might withdraw into himself again.

"What do you want to know about her?" Mataras finally asked.

Sachi thought for a moment before she answered, "What did she look like?"

"She was about your size and body type," Mataras began. "She was a very pretty girl, with brown hair a little longer than yours, and hazel eyes. She was about as pale as me, although she tanned a lot better in the sun." He smiled slightly as he added, "There was a vacation we took with our parents to the beach in America. She got a pretty nice tan, and I got burned so bad that my skin started peeling off before the skin underneath was healed, leaving me raw. She never let me live that one down." He rubbed his neck unconsciously as he spoke.

Sachi smiled with her friend, glad that he was finally thawing out. "And what did she like to do for fun?"

"She and I were both big readers," Mataras listed. "She knew her way around a computer like nobody else I know. She liked to talk to the younger kids a lot, which I personally never had the patience for. I would always end up reading stories about dragons while she would teach some of the kids English."

"That sounds like you, alright," Sachi grinned. To her surprise, Mataras smiled back, remembering those times fondly.

"Yes," he replied. "Then of course, we both liked video games, especially science fiction and fantasy genres. It was actually shortly after the first announcement for Sword Art Online that… she didn't make it home." His face clouded over briefly, but he forced himself to continue. "We were both excited to learn that the orphanage was going to be getting ahold of a NerveGear and a copy of the game. We all played a game of Super Smash Brothers Apocalypse to decide who would get to play it first. Tybalt won, actually."

"Then how did you end up in here?" Sachi asked, confused.

"Well… When the day of the launch came around, the others insisted on letting me have the first run," he said, remembering his friends excited smiles before he had closed his eyes and uttered the immortal words 'Link Start' that had trapped him inside the death game. "No one said anything, but I could tell that it was because they hoped that maybe my excitement about being in a new world would help me a bit with my loss… And in a way, I guess it did." He smiled at Sachi and gave her a one-armed hug. "Had I not met you, I may never have talked about Victoria ever again."

"Well, in a selfish way, I'm glad that this happened to us," Sachi said in response. "The others were always great to hang around with, but I never had an older sibling to look up to. My mom did the best she could, but she was always working hard to provide for us, and I never really had someone to talk to about the real things. If I hadn't met you, I may never have been able to talk to someone like this."

Both smiled at the other, then embraced, feeling some of the old wounds seal over for the first time in their lives. Like warm sunlight revitalizing a cold child climbing out of the ocean, Mataras felt his soul finally begin stir again. A tear slid down his face as he held his sister close.

* * *

The next morning, Kirito woke the two up early to inform them that Asuna would be joining them in a party. Mataras burst out laughing when he heard Kirito mention that Asuna had threatened to stab him if he didn't agree to let her join them for a dungeon expedition.

"Come on," Kirito muttered with a frown. "You probably wouldn't be laughing if you'd seen the look in her eyes."

"Oh yes I would," Mataras said as he grinned evilly. "Because it wouldn't be directed at me. But hey, it looks like you've landed yourself a second date." Kirito nearly choked on his breakfast as he heard the word 'date'.

"It wasn't like that!" he protested.

"Oh?" Sachi giggled. "Then what would you call a dinner at her house, just the two of you? With a very rare piece of cuisine?"

"Dinner!" Kirito insisted. "Seriously, don't say that it was a date in front of Asuna! She'd probably stab me for real as soon as we were out of a safe zone!" Mataras sighed to himself and finished equipping his battle attire. Sometimes his friend was incredibly dense.

Kirito heard him, though and said, "Oh yeah? Then what would you call _your_ dinner last night?"

"Brother-sister time," Mataras shot back without missing a beat. "By the way, it's five minutes until we're supposed to meet her. Shall we get going?" This was enough to shut Kirito up as he rushed to finish his breakfast and head out the door with Sachi and her brother.

* * *

The three of them were kept waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour, with Mataras and Kirito getting impatient at the end of the wait. Mataras stood up and said, "I don't think she's coming. She probably got caught up in some guild affair or other."

Sighing, Kirito decided that he was probably right. He started to get up with Sachi, but the gate behind him suddenly flashed with light, and a figure dressed in white and red was flung out, crashing on top of Kirito in a very… awkward position. Mataras' eyes tightened as he saw Kirito start applying pressure in the wrong place in an attempt to get the weight off of him.

Asuna shrieked and slapped the boy out from under her with enough force to send him flying into a pillar. Sachi thought the whole thing was funny and started laughing while Mataras went over to help his friend up, who was extremely dazed. "Wha…?" he moaned.

Then the Black Swordsman shook his head to clear it and looked over at Asuna, whose face was blazing red as she hugged her chest. Kirito frowned, and almost unconsciously he made a squeezing motion with his hand. Then he paled as he realized what he had done, and he managed to say weakly, "Uh… hey. Good morning, Asuna."

Mataras reached up behind his back with his eyes locked on Asuna. "Do you need me to stab him?" he asked bluntly.

Kirito looked at him, shocked. "Why would you do that?!" he cried.

"I hate molesters," Mataras replied, deadpan. "Now unless you can look at me in the eye and say that you didn't do that on purpose, I'll stab you if Asuna tells me to."

"I-I didn't!" Kirito said, taking a step back nervously. "I swear!" Mataras looked hard at his eyes for any sign of deceit. Finding none, he let go of Guilty Thorn's handle and let his arm drop.

"Good," he said with a slight grin. "I was worried that I actually would have to stab you."

"Y-you wouldn't actually have… right?" Kirito asked. Mataras didn't feel the need to make a response to that. They both knew the answer to that question.

Meanwhile, Asuna had accepted Sachi's help to get up and the gate began to shine again, signaling that someone was approaching. Asuna immediately squawked and rushed over to hide behind Kirito, much to his surprise. Sachi, who had been all but dragged by the panicked vice commandant, took her place beside Mataras as Kuradeel stepped through the vortex. Litrosh growled warningly as his beady eyes locked onto Asuna, who was fairly hiding.

"Lady Asuna, I must insist that you stop playing this ridiculous-" His voice locked up as he realized that Mataras, Sachi, and Kirito were the ones with which Asuna had sought refuge. "Not you filthy beaters again!" he snarled.

Mataras smiled and went up to draw his sword again, then had a better thought. Lowering his arm again, he said, "Hello, Kuradeel. Are you keen for a rematch?" The man's eye twitched angrily in response.

"Lady Asuna, please come back to headquarters this instant," he said, barely holding back his rage. "You cannot continue to shirk your duties and associate yourself with these scumbags. It's not your place."

"You can't tell Asuna what her place is, you creep," Sachi said firmly.

"Creep is right," Asuna said sourly. "He was outside my place this morning."

"He what?" The Cats said in unison. Mataras and Kirito re-fixed their glares on Kuradeel, who was still walking forward with a set jaw and flaming eyes.

"She has a bad habit of leaving without informing anyone," he said, trying to justify himself. "So for the past month, as part of my mission to guard her, I have been keeping an eye on her in Selmburg."

"That's not part of your mission, you idiot!" Asuna shouted in frustration.

Kuradeel rolled his eyes and said, "I really wish you'd be more understanding about this ma'am. Now please come with me." The man had finally reached them and tried to move forward to grab Asuna, but Kirito refused to budge.

"Sorry, pal," he said. "But we'll be borrowing your Vice Commander for today. You'll just have to make do without. Don't worry about her safety, though. We've got that covered, and we're not going on a boss raid."

"Get out of my way!" Kuradeel shouted, bringing his fist back for a punch. Mataras was faster, though, lashing out with a side kick that sent Kuradeel backpedalling several paces.

"You little punk," he snarled. "You cheated last time, but I'm not letting you get off the hook easy this time." He pulled open his menu and began entering commands.

A challenge appeared to Mataras, indicating that Kuradeel wanted to duel him. Mataras feigned boredom- although it wasn't really much of a stretch to say that he actually was bored- and refused the request. "No, I couldn't possibly accept your offer," he said with a trace grin. "Someone such as yourself only deserves the best. So why don't you fight our leader here?" He patted Kirito on the shoulder, who remained stone-faced as he stared down Kuradeel.

It was too much for the crazed guard. "All right, you little brats," he said as he began re-entering commands. "I'll show you just how outclassed you really are." Kirito looked over at Asuna, who nodded.

"I'll add this to my report on Kuradeel," she said in an undertone. "Take care of him." Kirito nodded and accepted the duel. It was set so that whoever's health fell into the yellow zone would lose, and the safety net would kick back into effect after that. At least Kuradeel had enough sense not to try and engage a duel that was a fight to the death, Kirito thought.

Several onlookers began muttering amongst themselves. "Whoa," one said. "That's Kirito the Black Swordsman, right? He leads the Moonlit Black Cats, right?"

"Yeah," said another. "I heard that yesterday the Cats almost got into a fight with one of the KOB members. Looks like things are about to be settled."

"If that's true, why is the Lightning Flash with the Cats? Shouldn't she be with her member?" another argued.

"Shut up!" The first man snapped. "I wanna watch! This should be good!"

Mataras, Sachi, and Asuna backed up to give the group leader room. Nonetheless, Kuradeel drew his sword and said to Asuna, "Please move to a safer distance, ma'am! I'm going to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am the only one capable of protecting you!" Asuna rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the notion. She knew that Kirito had this in hand.

The countdown for the duel went by much faster than Asuna though it would, and both swordsmen sprang into action. Kuradeel could be heard letting out a chuckle as he swung an overhand blow, granting him more power that Kirito's underhanded one. For a second, Asuna felt panic rise into her chest, but when she looked over at Mataras and Sachi, both were smiling as if someone had told a private joke.

Then next instant, the swords collided, and Kirito landed on one knee with his sword lowered, his face grim. Kuradeel's eyes were wide with shock as he realized that he was holding only a hilt with a jagged bit of metal on the end. Then the hilt and the blade that was on the ground shattered, and Kuradeel sank to his knees. Kirito swung his sword back and forth as was his custom before sheathing it on his back.

Turning to face Kuradeel's back, he said, "If you wanna try again with a different weapon, we can. But I think we're all done here." Kuradeel tensed up and then began sifting through his menu, obviously trying to draw a weapon in secret. The next second, he charged at Kirito from his crouched position, a small knife in hand.

Kirito prepared to draw his blade in defense with a bored expression on his face when another sword entered the fray. The Lambent Light smacked the dagger out of Kuradeel's hand, causing him to freeze in shock. "L-Lady Asuna!" he protested.

Before he could say any more, Mataras' fist smashed into his face, knocking him the dirt. Since Mataras wasn't part of the duel, the knight's health was not affected. However, again, the knockback was enough to get the desired effect. "Shut up," he snapped. Sachi strode forward and pointed the Dark Repulser at his face as he tried to get up, freezing him in place.

"Kuradeel," Asuna's voice rang out strong and clear. "You are hereby relieved of duty as my bodyguard. Furthermore, you are no longer welcome as a member of the Knights' Guild. I will send a message to Commander Heathcliff saying to strip you of your title and rights. Should he agree- which I believe he will, you will no longer be allowed in the castle of Grandzam. Now go, and don't ever let me see you again." Kuradeel only seemed to sag as if broken by the words.

Sachi sheathed her weapon and the group began walking out of town towards the floor dungeon. The crowd parted ways for them, and not another word was spoken by them until they had hit the outskirts, away from the people.

Unseen by them, a man in a grimy cloak stood above Kuradeel with a smile. _Perfect,_ he thought. _What better a recruit for the damnation of the Moonlit Black Cats than someone with a grudge to settle?_

* * *

Outside the town, Asuna finally sagged a bit and leaned on Kirito. "Sorry to drag you into that," she said with a sigh.

"Nah, it's fine," Kirito replied easily. "He had no right to try and order you around like that. He was at fault- and to a degree, your guild is too, for making a rule like that." Mataras and Sachi were silent, already familiar with the rule about the higher-ups of the KOB needing escorts. Also, they were both curious to see how Asuna would react to Kirito criticizing the guild she was a part of.

The chestnut-haired girl looked at him with surprise as she said, "Yeah, but maybe if I hadn't pushed them so hard at the beginning, they wouldn't be so uptight to begin with."

"Yeah well, you're their leader anyways," Kirito shrugged. "That means that your business is just yours. If you want to take a day off to hang around with a bunch of beaters like us, who are they to tell you no? I mean, Heathcliff could probably tell you off, but he doesn't strike me as that kind of guy." Realizing that he had been rambling a little bit, he rubbed his neck and said, "Eh, sorry. What do I know? I lead a guild of three people."

"Well, your opinion is appreciated anyways," Asuna said with a smile. "But seeing as today is my day off and I've used up a bit of it dealing with work stuff, you guys can play forward."

"Wha-?!" Kirito sputtered. Where did that come from?! "Hey, we're supposed to switch forward position!" he protested.

"Nope, I told you, it's my day off," she grinned and started walking ahead of him.

"Oh, come on!" he groaned. Behind him, Sachi and Mataras grinned broadly at the two teenagers as they walked ahead.

* * *

Even Mataras had to admit, with Asuna along, their already considerable progress in mapping the floor was coming along much faster and easier. She was a blur in battle, moving even faster than Mataras. There wasn't a lot in it, but it was now unclear as to who might be the best fighter among them.

Mataras had the wildcard advantage with Dragon Blood, able to use his own natural reflexes to the greatest advantage, not to mention the fire dragon that assisted him in battle. His swordplay was unlike anything that the others used, so no one knew exactly what he would do next as he engaged in battle after battle. Some of them even suspected that he made it up as he went along.

Kirito had the highest strength stat of the group, almost equal reflexes with Mataras, and the most advanced sword skills. He specialized in countering blows with unnerving precision before attacking with reckless abandon. It worked pretty well for him, but for most others it would be a bit too risky to try as a regular style in SAO.

Asuna was the fastest with her attacks, her sword nearly invisible as she struck with blinding speed. It was something to be said for her, seeing as her teammates were some of the top players in the game, which meant that they should have been able to easily see her attacks, but it was surprisingly difficult for all of them.

Sachi had very balanced stats at this point, meaning that she could essentially back up anyone that needed it. She wasn't as fast as Asuna, she didn't have Kirito's reflexes, and she definitely didn't have Mataras' skill with a weapon, but she could definitely do her part, even on the advanced front lines.

They fought their way through the dungeon for several hours, making sure to map the areas they visited until they found it. Looking up at the giant door, Mataras and the others immediately knew that they had found what every assault team member sought on each un-cleared floor. The boss door.

"Let's take a look, eh?" Mataras suggested.

"Good idea," Kirito nodded. "Maybe we can see what we'll be up against. Just keep your teleport crystals ready." The guild and Asuna all did as they were told before they shoved the massive door open. To their surprise, only darkness and silence greeted them.

"Where is it?" Sachi asked with a slight frown.

"I don't know," Mataras replied, also frowning. Looking back for a second, he said, "Sachi, Asuna. Stay here. Kirito and I are going in for a look."

"What?" Asuna hissed.

"Don't worry, we won't go in far," Kirito said as he grasped Asuna's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll be fine." With reluctance, the girls let them go in first, deciding to content themselves with remembering that this was a standard boss scouting procedure. Half the party stayed behind with crystals ready in case of an emergency while the others went in to look at the boss to study its weapons and anything else that might help them counter it.

For a few steps, nothing happened. But about ten feet in, a blue fire was lit atop a torch. Then another. And another. They kept lighting until the round room was lit entirely, and the boss was illuminated.

Mataras and Kirito both flinched at the sheer size of the monster before them. It stood easily three or four times their height. The blue fur that covered its body was all rippling underneath with finely chiseled muscles. In it right hand rested a sword big enough to cleave a horse in two with one swipe. On its powerful neck rested a goat's head while it had a tail in the likeness of a snake. The thing was a Minotaur, Mataras realized.

It suddenly raised its sword and roared, its red eyes blazing with blue light. The name appeared simultaneously: The Gleam Eyes. Seeing the whole thing, the four of them did what any sane human being would in their situation- they ran for the dungeon's nearest safe zone, not looking back once.

* * *

**Oh, before I go, I have a fun fact for you guys. This is actually a psuedo-crossover. Of what, you ask? My very own book series, of course! Mataras is the main character in my own novel, and this is essentially what would happen if his character was in the world of SAO instead of the one I made. Some of the other mentioned characters in his life are also starring in my book. Curious now? Message me to find out more about my book series, with the first novel set to release in a few weeks.**


	9. Family

**A/N: Hello and welcome back! I hope you're all ready for a good fight scene, some Kirisuna moments, and another cliffhanger, because that's what is being served! Enjoy!**

* * *

Family

"Well…" Mataras gasped as the four friends all sank to the ground. After a good ten minutes of running, they had managed to reach the safe zone without antagonizing any mobs. "I think that's got to be the fastest I've run in the two years I've been here."

"Yeah," Kirito agreed. "That one's gonna be a real pain to beat. It's probably got all kinds of crazy two-handed sword skills."

"Yeah," Sachi nodded. "We're gonna need at least two separate teams just to wear it down by switching in and out. And at least ten of them should be shield-users."

"Shield users, huh?" Asuna said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, Sachi's right," Kirito nodded. "What's with the funny look?"

"You guys," she said as she made a vague gesture towards the small guild. "How come you're so eager to send other people with shields in? You all have one-handed swords, and the biggest advantage to that is that you can use a shield."

"Do I need to remind the kettle that it's still calling the pot black?" Mataras quipped. "You're the same way as us."

"I don't use one because it slows down my rapier, and you overuse that expression," Asuna shot back. "What's your reason?"

"Same as you, though I can't speak for Kirito and Sachi," the Red Swordsman shrugged. "Even with Dragon Blood, shields just get in the way of my style."

"Yeah, Mataras trained me to use the sword without the shield because it would have slowed me down too much. I probably wouldn't have made it out of the dungeon on floor twenty-seven alive if not for his methods," she patted her brother affectionately on the shoulder as she spoke, drawing out a rare smile from him.

Kirito also nodded in agreement, although to Asuna it seemed as though his was delayed and a little too forced. "Yeah, I'm with Mataras," he said. "Shields are too slow."

"Are you sure it's not just because it looks dumb on some people?" Asuna japed. Before Kirito could come up with a response, she smiled brightly and said, "Actually, never mind. It's rude to ask other people to justify their skill set."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it when you grilled me about having Dragon Blood," Mataras said sourly.

"Yeah, but I like Kirito a lot better than you," Asuna shot back. Kirito's face turned bright red as she said that, and Sachi had to stifle a giggle. Either ignoring them or just not noticing, Asuna opened up her menu and started searching her inventory. "Since it's getting late, we might as well eat," she explained as she opened up a picnic basket. "I brought this along since I considered that we might not have time to make it to a restaurant tonight."

"Did you make it yourself?!" Kirito asked eagerly. Asuna giggled happily and answered that she did as she gave Kirito the first package. The boy eagerly tore open the wrapping to find one of Asuna's sandwiches within. "Awesome!" he exclaimed happily.

Mataras and Sachi both accepted their meals with more politeness than their leader. All three of them were surprised that the sandwiches tasted even better than the last ones that the Vice Commander had made. "Wow, Asuna," Kirito said in between bites. "I swear, this is even better than the ragout you made!"

"You really think so?" she said while turning away slightly to hide her blush.

"Yeah, totally!" Kirito said enthusiastically. "I mean, you could make a fortune selling this stuff!" Mataras and his sister had to nod in agreement- the sandwiches were delicious, even by Sachi's standards.

"That might not be such a bad idea, actually," the girl said thoughtfully. "The ingredients for the sauces aren't that hard to get at our level, and I could do with some extra col…"

"No, wait!" Kirito suddenly said with a frown. "You can't sell it."

"What, why not?!" Asuna asked, confused.

"Cos then there wouldn't be any left for me," Kirito said with such sincerity as he looked at the girl that his teammates couldn't help but plant their faces in their palms.

"My god, you're greedy," Asuna said as she rolled her eyes. "If you like it that much I can always make more, you know…" Kirito looked like he was about to reply, but then Mataras shot to his feet with Guilty Thorn in hand.

The others followed suit just in time to see a group of young men walking into the safe zone. Their leader was easily recognizable by his red bandana, scraggly beard, and katana sheathed at his waist. He looked up from the ground and immediately locked eyes with his old friend with a bright smile.

"Kirito!" he called cheerily, waving at the Black Swordsman. "How ya doing, buddy?"

"Oh, hey Klein," Kirito replied, clearly disgruntled about having his late lunch interrupted by the Furin Kazan guild.

"I see you're just as friendly as ever," he smirked as his friends hung back, talking among themselves. "Hey there, Mataras. Hey, Sachi. Still hanging around with this punk?"

"Of course," Mataras replied as he shook hands with the lanky warrior.

"Kirito's our leader," Sachi said as she smiled at Klein. "Besides, do you think that he'd have made it this far if he was a solo player?" They all laughed at the thought except for Kirito, who frowned at being made fun of constantly.

"Oh, wipe that frown off!" Asuna said as she playfully shoved Kirito and moved into Klein's field of view from behind Mataras and his black-coated friend. "You'd have been fine, unless you forgot to eat. Wait, no, that's probably the one thing that you'd never forget."

"What the-?" Klein said in surprise. He suddenly froze with his jaw hanging open.

"Oh, sorry Klein," Kirito said as he moved aside slightly. "I guess you guys have never officially met outside of a boss battle. This is Asuna, Vice Commander of the KOB. Asuna, this is Klein, leader of the Furin Kazan guild."

"It's nice to meet you," Asuna said, extending her hand. Klein didn't move, which worried his friend.

"Klein?" Kirito asked as he waved his hand in front of the red-head. "C'mon, say something."

"Is he lagging?" Mataras wondered aloud.

Before anyone could come up with an answer, Klein bowed deeply and extended his own hand. "H-Hi!" he stammered. "I'm K-Klein! T-Twenty-four, single, and looking for a- oof!" His rant was cut off as Kirito slugged him in the stomach, hard. Klein went rolling while Asuna stepped back and gasped in shock.

Mataras tensed up as the other members of Klein's guild all rushed forward to stare Kirito down. Sachi looked over at him nervously as he did. If he committed anymore 'crimes' against green players, he'd need to do a quest to keep himself from becoming a permanent orange player. And if he kept lashing out after that, he'd be marked permanently anyways.

Fortunately, it didn't come to that. The group of men simply wanted to get a closer look at Asuna, which led to Mataras and Kirito holding the other guild back. "These guys are okay," Kirito grinned at Asuna as he forced them back. "I just don't know about Klein- ow, hey!" The last part was directed at the other guild leader, who smirked at his younger friend. "What the hell?"

"That's payback, you weasel," Klein quipped. "Now how'd you end up with Asuna in your party?"

"I volunteered," Asuna said as she waved timidly from behind the two boys.

"Kirito, you son of a-"

"Hey, what am I supposed to do?! Turn her down?"

"You've already got Sachi on your team! Leave some ladies for the rest of us!" That particular comment earned him a rap on the head with the flat of Guilty Thorn's blade, though not hard enough to make him lose health points, and leaving Mataras' icon green.

"Don't talk about Asuna like that," Mataras said sternly. "Don't talk about anyone in my family like that." Asuna and the others looked at him with something close to shock. He considered her a part of his little SAO family?

Before anyone could ask him what he meant, another element entered the picture. The combined guilds turned to see a group of two-dozen heavily armed men enter the field's safe zone. Their leader turned to face them as soon as the last one entered and called out, "At ease!" The men sank to the floor, completely spent, groaning in relief.

"The army that runs floor one?" Sachi asked quietly. "What are they doing here?"

"They were almost completely wiped out on floor twenty-five," Asuna recalled. "They've spent their time since then building up their numbers instead of their stats. I'm honestly surprised that they even made it this far into the dungeon."

Only their leader seemed to have retained his strength as he strode up to Klein, Kirito and Mataras. "I'm Lieutenant Colonel Corvatz of the Aincrad Liberation Army," he proclaimed.

"I'm Kirito, leader of the Moonlit Black Cats," the Black Swordsman replied evenly.

"Sure, sure," the man said, clearly unimpressed. "Do you have a map of the area ahead of here?"

"Yeah, we got a full map that includes the location of the boss' room," Kirito replied, annoyed at the man's attitude.

"Right," Corvatz nodded. "Then hand it over."

"What the-?" Klein sputtered. "Hold on, you got no right to demand that! Do you have any idea how much of a pain mapping is?"

"No right?!" the man roared. "We share all of our information and resources with civilian players, and don't charge a thing for it! We maintain order where there would otherwise be chaos! Therefore, it's your _duty_ to cooperate with us! Now _hand over that map_!"

Mataras and Klein placed their hands on their weapons, ready to put the arrogant man in his place when Kirito waved them back. "Easy, guys," he said smoothly. "I was gonna go public with the map once we got back into town anyways. It's cool." He set up a data transfer and gave Corvatz the map without another word.

"C'mon Kirito, you're being way too nice to 'em," Klein protested, but the boy ignored him until the data transfer was complete.

"Our guild doesn't make money off of map data," he said as Corvatz closed his menu. "Like I said, it's fine."

"Thank you for your cooperation," the lieutenant said as he turned to leave, not sounding like he meant a word of it.

"Hey, I'd stay away from the boss room, by the way," Kirito said as Corvatz walked away.

"That is my decision to make," the older man said, not turning around.

"If you're planning on hitting the boss room, you're not only rude, but a fool as well," Mataras said with a scowl. "Your men are in no condition to fight any mobs on this floor, let alone a floor boss. You need to go home before you do something stupid."

They could practically hear Corvatz's teeth grinding as he turned around and shouted, "Nonsense! _My_ men are tougher than that!" Turning back to face them, he roared, "On your feet! Move!" And with that, the group staggered to their feet, and left the safe zone.

"Did he seriously just imply that we, of all people, are inferior to his troops?" Mataras said as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Pretty sure he did," Kirito muttered. He was clearly having second thoughts about having given the map to the arrogant leader of the soldiers.

"Do you think that they'll be okay?" Sachi asked Mataras.

It was Asuna who answered, though. "I'm sure they'll be okay, Sachi," she said unconvincingly. "I'm sure even they wouldn't go and rush the boss without at least checking it out first."

"Blast it," Mataras said as he drew his sword and started walking after the army.

"Hey, where are you going?!" Asuna asked after him.

"He probably is that stupid," he growled, not turning around. "And they're that loyal. Which means that we're going to have to save them."

Kirito sighed heavily and nodded. "He's probably right," he muttered sourly. "And just when I thought we might be able to head home…" He started walking quickly to catch up to his teammate. The others looked at Klein, who nodded firmly.

Furin Kazan moved to follow the Black and Red Swordsmen, but Klein hung back for a moment. "Hey, Sachi, Asuna," he said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I got a favor to ask…"

"Sure," Sachi said with a smile as they stopped to face him. "Name it."

"I know you know this by now, Sachi," he said, still not looking up. "But even though they're loners, and addicted to combat, they're really good guys, both of 'em. Take care of Kirito and Mataras, would ya?" And he bowed to both of them.

"You know we will," Asuna said with a smile. "Don't worry, they're in good hands."

* * *

Progress back to the boss' room was even easier now that two of the top guilds in Sword Art Online were making their way through it together. It meant less experience points for everybody, but no one really cared. They had all already filled their levelling quotas, so it didn't really matter.

Mataras was sure to disable his Dragon Blood as to not raise the other guild's suspicions. Even so, he was still one of the best members in the party, fighting side-by-side with Sachi even as Kirito fought beside Asuna.

When they were less than half a mile away from the boss' lair, they managed to clear out the last mob in their way. "That's the last of 'em," Klein confirmed as they all looked around. "Now all that's left is the boss room."

"Hmm…" Mataras was staring down the path to the boss room with a slight frown on his face. "Did those idiots wise up and go back? Or did they…" As if in response to his unfinished question, screams began to echo down the long hallway. "Blasted fools!" he snarled as he took off on a full sprint.

"Asuna!" Kirito looked over at his partner even as Sachi took off after her brother.

"Yeah, let's go!" she agreed. The next instant, a shockwave was left in their wake as they took off at full speed, leaving the Furin Kazan far behind. At their speed, it was less than a minute before they got to the boss lair, Mataras and Sachi standing at the entrance with grim expressions on their features.

Inside the room looked like something out of a Greek legend where the heroes were about to lose their lives fighting against the demon. Corvatz's men were scattered, their rigid discipline shattered. All of them were dangerously low on health, but their commanding officer was refusing to back down, shouting at the army to get to their feet.

"Get out of there!" Kirito shouted at those that were unable to get to their feet. "Use your teleport crystals!"

"We can't!" a young man shouted back. "The- they're not working!"

"An anti-crystal zone in a boss lair?" Sachi gasped. The Moonlit Black Cats each recalled the death trap that they had barely escaped from on floor twenty-seven, the memory filling them with dread.

"I've never even heard of a trap like that being in a boss' room," Asuna said.

"What's going on?" It was Klein.

Kirito quickly explained the situation to his friend, causing the red-head to look with worry at the men being scattered by the boss' horse cleaver. "Isn't there something we can do?" he asked, afraid.

"We could distract the boss, but going in there's too risky," Kirito said with a shake of his head. The monster suddenly unleashed a breath attack, scattering the men everywhere, followed by a mighty swing of its sword. A single man was thrown all the way back to the entrance, unmoving. Corvatz.

Mataras knelt beside him, reaching for a potion, but then the helmet shattered, causing him to freeze. "I…" the man gasped. "I can't believe it." Then he died.

Mataras stood, his head bowed. Sachi and Asuna averted their gazes, horrified. Kirito and Klein could only stare in shock.

The boss raised its sword once more, intending to kill the rest of the men. Mataras glared at the boss, his normally brown eyes blazing silver. "Blast you!" he snarled. He drew his sword and charged at top speed right at the boss, ignoring the cries of his friends. "May this sword condemn you to oblivion!" He leaped high and slashed at the giant, scoring a solid blow across its back and causing it to whirl around.

Before Mataras could react, the boss punched him while he was still in midair, sending him skidding across the floor, stunned. He looked up, dazed as the boss raised its sword to swing it down at him, much like it had been about to do to the army. _Is this how it ends?_ His thoughts were blurry, and he could barely move.

Movement. A shout. Mataras forced his eyes to focus as Kirito quickly interposed himself between the boss and his friend. "Move!" the boy shouted as he deflected the blow just enough for it to land a few inches away from his legs. Mataras shook his head to clear it and leaped away, looking around the room to see what was happening.

Klein and his guild were guiding the soldiers out of the boss' room, many of them leaning heavily on the men in red samurai armor. Sachi and Asuna were circling around the boss, switching in and out with Kirito. But from the damage that they had taken versus the amount of health points that the boss had lost, it was clear that there was only one way that the fight was going to end. _Unless…_

It was a long shot, and Mataras knew it, but they didn't really have much of a choice at this point. "Klein!" he shouted. "Switch in with Kirito and Sachi! Help Asuna keep him off of us for thirty seconds!"

"We'll try!" he replied as he charged in to do as he was told. Asuna stabbed it in the back three times before leaping away at the last second to avoid being cleaved in two. Kirito and Sachi looked over at Mataras, wondering what he had in mind.

"Sachi, give Kirito the Dark Repulser, and don't argue with me about why," Mataras ordered. "Kirito, I'm going to activate Dragon Blood to back you up."

"But-"

"No buts, just do it!" Mataras roared at his friend. "If you don't use it, Asuna and Klein could die!" The Black Swordsman set his jaw and opened his menu without another word. Sachi gave him the sword, and the two young men stood side-by-side as Kirito shouted at other two warriors.

"All right, we're ready!" he called. "Switch out!" Asuna and Klein did so swiftly, both of them in the yellow zone by now. Normally they would have used healing crystals at this point, but the same effect on the area that prevented teleportation also kept them from using the instant-restorative properties of a red crystal. Now it was up to the Moonlit Black Cats.

The Red Swordsman was the first to strike, deflecting the massive sword first with a flick of his blade, then shifting his body so that his outstretched frame was parallel to the sword that was bigger than he was. The next instant, Guilty Thorn came up and over in a vicious arc to slice the boss' face. The follow-up attack happened almost too fast for the others to follow as he moved to smash the hilt in a reverse strike to the Gleam Eye's jaw, sending it staggering backwards a few paces.

Mataras retreated quickly to let Kirito hit next, both black and blue blades coming up and glowing with blue light. They could hear the others gasping in shock as Kirito unleashed the start of a sixteen-part combo on the boss, a technique called- "_Starburst Stream!_" Kirito's raw shout echoed throughout the chamber, complimented by the sound of multiple blows striking the boss' body.

Although caught off-balance at first, the boss was capable of retaliating with a blow from its own sword which came down right after Kirito finished the powerful combo. He barely blocked with both blades in time, but he managed to shove the massive blade off of him.

"Switch!" Mataras called. The boss was very low on health, but so was his friend. One more hit to either of them could kill them. The Black Swordsman leaped backwards just in time to avoid a fatal blow to land beside his friend and brother in arms.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," Mataras grinned. "Should we do this like floor one?"

"Done," Kirito nodded. "Now let's finish this thing!" Together, they charged.

The horse cleaver blade came down with brutal force, despite the fact that the boss was only using one hand, but Mataras managed to deflect the blow from its intended course, and leaving the boss open for Kirito to attack. He surged forward, black blade shining with light as he swung down with all his might- only to have the boss grab the sword and halting his attack.

Asuna cried out in fear, and Klein's eyes widened as he realized that Kirito was about to die. But fortunately, in the heat of the moment, they had forgotten one thing: Kirito had Sachi's sword in his left hand.

Before even Mataras could intervene, Kirito screamed with everything he had and stabbed the boss in the chest as fast as he could, the blue sword going in up to the hilt. Both player and boss froze as though paralyzed before there was an explosion of blue and green polygons, and for a moment, Kirito was lost form view.

Asuna ran forward anyways before the room was cleared, ignoring the 'Congratulations!' sign that floated above the spot where the boss had last stood. Her entire attention was focused on the boy in a black coat, collapsed on the ground.

She slumped down next to him and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him hard. "Kirito!" she shouted! "Wake up, Kirito!" When he didn't respond, she shook him harder and shouted even louder. He finally stirred, even as Mataras made his way over to the boy with Sachi at his side.

"Ugh…" he groaned. "What just happened? Did we win?"

"You did it," Sachi said, obviously relieved to see that her friend was okay.

"How long was I out?" he mumbled even as Asuna got him to drink a powerful potion.

"Just a few seconds," Mataras said as he accessed his own menu and pulled out a pair of potions, one for himself and one for his sister. "You did well, Kirito. The skill worked even better than we'd expected."

"You reckless _idiot_!" Asuna shouted as she threw her arms around Kirito, unable to hold back the mixed tears of fear and relief anymore. The gesture threw Kirito off a bit, but then he smiled gently.

"Don't hug me too hard, or else I'll lose my HP before that potion does the trick," he joked lamely. Then his expression grew serious. He looked up to see Klein, his friends, and the remnants of the army. "How many did we lose this time?" he asked.

"Corvatz and two of his men are the only ones that didn't make it," Klein replied.

Sachi's face fell at the news. "We haven't lost anyone in a boss fight ever since floor sixty-seven," she murmured.

"That wasn't a boss fight, that was suicide," Klein spat angrily. "Corvat was a damned fool. What's the point in any of this if you die?!" No one had an answer for him, so he eventually decided to change the subject. "Okay, you two!" he said as he pointed at Kirito and Mataras. "What the hell was that?!"

"What was what?" Mataras said with a mix of sarcasm and feigned innocence. Sachi elbowed him in response, to which he gave her a hurt look.

"Do we have to tell you?" Kirito sighed as he stared at Klein.

"You bet you do!" the katana-wielder grinned. "I've never seen those moves before!"

Kirito sighed heavily and looked down as he said, "Mataras and I both have extra skills… Mine is Dual-Wielding."

"Whoa!" Klein gasped, as did the others. "Are there prerequisites?"

"If I knew that, I would have shared it by now," Kirito replied with a slightly rueful grin. "About six months ago, I was just scrolling through my menu, and there it was."

"Huh, it's not on anything that the info brokers sell," Klein muttered. "It must be exclusive to you. You got a unique skill, man! How could you keep that from your buddies? No wait, what about him?" He gestured at Mataras, who had hoped to stay out of the spotlight. "He knew about your skill, didn't he? And what was that I saw? He was dishing out damage like he was using a skill, but he wasn't using any attack combos. What's up with that?"

"I'm surprised nobody said anything before today," Mataras replied with a sigh. "Like Kirito, I have no idea how I picked up on the extra skill I have. It's called Dragon Blood and it lets me move outside the constraints of the system's auto-assist. The drawback is that I can't gain any bonus effects on my attacks, and I can't use my other combat skills whenever it's equipped."

"Whoa…" Klein breathed. "That's so cool! But seriously, why did you keep it under wraps like that?"

"Remember how everyone reacted when Heathcliff first used the Divine Blade?" Sachi responded. "They all wanted to know how he gained that skill, even though he didn't have an explanation for them, but a lot of people didn't buy that and they got really angry. It wasn't until he founded the KOB and began clearing the floors with Asuna's help that people really accepted him without any animosity. If it means anything, I didn't know until just a few weeks ago."

"True…" Klein admitted with a nod. "A lot of gamers are like that… You're right, people are probably gonna be jealous of those skills. And especially Mr. Kirito here," he said as he winked at the Black Swordsman, still holding Asuna. As Kirito averted his gaze, Klein smiled and added, "Well, they say that life is made better by the challenges you face, so keep soldiering on, you guys."

Turning to Mataras, he said, "We're gonna go ahead and trigger the warp gate to the next floor. Want to come with?"

"No, I think we all need a break," Mataras replied with a shake of his head. "Besides, I need to pick up Litrosh from his playdate with Selica and Pina."

"Fair enough," Klein said as he and the others moved to go. Before he headed out the new door, though Klein stopped and said, "Hey Mataras?"

"Yes?"

"You know how you just ran in there? To save those army guys?"

Mataras cocked his head with a slight frown and replied, "Yes… What of it?"

"It did my heart good," he replied without turning around. "You and Kirito both. See you around, okay?"

"Until next time," Mataras answered as he looked back at his friend and the girl still embracing him tightly. "Should we give you two a minute?" he asked. Kirito looked up at Mataras and nodded once.

* * *

The group all got home at roughly the same time, due to Mataras and Sachi going to pick up the little fire dragon, and Kirito talking with Asuna. They all went to bed immediately, completely spent. They hoped to sleep in, but as it turned out, that was going to be impossible.

Mataras was the first one to answer the door as he heard someone constantly pounding on it. He had his sword in hand as he prepared to confront the intruder and he opened the door. The instant after he did, he really wished that he hadn't.

* * *

"A wild man with a blade colored like blood, and a dual-wielder nailed the boss together with a fifty-hit combo?" Agil laughed as he read the paper that served as a news template. "I can't believe how big a deal people are making outta this thing!" He laughed again.

The Cats were all upstairs in Agil's shop, and none of them were in the mood to laugh. "Yeah, it blew up right in our faces," Kirito muttered sourly. "A bunch of info brokers and swordsmen showed up at our place this morning. Now we need a new pad cos they know where we live."

"Hmph," Mataras scowled. "It would have been bad enough if they had learned about one unique skill. But those stupid army chumps went and proclaimed the whole thing as though they were new believers to the gospel." Litrosh leaped from a chest to land on his master's head, to which Mataras responded by scratching the little dragon's head.

"Yeah, well, you're the one that jumped in there and then insisted that Kirito use his dual wielding," Sachi replied with a slight smile. On her back was her old Tsunami Crest blade. She had insisted that Kirito keep the Dark Repulser and gone back to the sword she had used in the Laughing Coffin raid.

"Don't remind me," Mataras scowled even harder. "If I had known that they were going to tell the whole world about it, I might have just let the stupid boss chop them into bits."

"No, you wouldn't have," Sachi insisted.

Mataras stared at her flatly and said in a deadpan voice, "Don't be too sure about that."

Before his sister could come up with a comeback, they heard light footsteps coming up the stairs at a rapid pace. "Kirito," Asuna gasped as she stood in the entryway. "What are we gonna do? We've got a huge problem!"

* * *

"Outside of boss fights, I don't believe we've ever met," said the man with long silver hair and steely eyes. His uniform and place at the center of the table that seated five-though one spot was currently vacant- marked him as Heathcliff, the leader of the Blood-Oath Knights. The Moonlit Black Cats and Asuna had been summoned to the headquarters of her guild, and now they stood before the four other leaders in their main hall.

"That's not entirely true," Kirito replied. "We did talk a bit that one time outside the boss raid on floor sixty-seven."

"Yes, that was a hard fight," Heathcliff nodded. "We lost several good men in that fight. Which brings me to why I called you up here."

"If you're done spouting theatrics, just tell us what you want," Mataras said coldly. "Why won't you let Asuna join up with us while she takes time off from the guild? From what I've seen, she's more than earned a leave of absence." Sachi placed a soothing hand on his shoulder to calm him down before he could go on into a full-on rant at the older man.

"We barely get by with the number of players we have, despite being called the top guild," Heathcliff replied with a slight frown. "And then here you are, a rival guild trying to take away one of our best."

"No one here wants to be rivals," Sachi replied calmly. "We all want to clear the game, that's all. Why are you trying to pick a fight with us?"

"Actually, I agree with you, Miss Sachi," Heathcliff replied smoothly. "I would like it very much if you would all become a part of the team here. However, I can tell that not everyone here would be happy with that arrangement."

"Damn straight," Kirito muttered under his breath.

Heathcliff continued to say, "I am willing to cut you all a deal. If you want to take Asuna with you, you'll have to fight me for it. Your best fighter against me in a one-on-one duel. If they win, you'll be free to take Asuna with you." His face twisted into a small smile as he added, "On the other hand, if Mataras or Kirito loses… You will all join the Knights of the Blood-Oath."

Before Kirito could make his response, Mataras stepped forward and growled, "No deal. At least, not under those conditions."

"What do you mean?" Heathcliff asked, intrigued. The other members looked angry that Mataras had addressed their leader so roughly, but they held their tongues.

"If all of our freedoms are at stake here, then it should be a fight done by all of us," Mataras replied. "Asuna is part of our family now, and we'll do whatever it takes to make sure that she can do what she desires. So what I propose is a three-on-three fight. Whoever can get two members into the yellow zone first will be declared the victor, and the afore mentioned conditions will take effect."

At first Heathcliff looked somewhat surprised, but then he gave them that dry smile of his. "I find that to be completely reasonable," he said with a nod. "Very well. The Moonlit Black Cats will face off against myself, Godfree, and Raphael. Normally I'd ask Asuna to join in, but I have a feeling that she'd refuse in this instance. Are we all in agrrement?"

Mataras looked back at his teammates with a raised eyebrow. Sachi nodded, determination etched into her normally timid face. She could do this, Mataras knew. Kirito also nodded and added the words, "Sounds good to me. If they wanna settle this with swords, that's fine by me."

Mataras turned back to Heathcliff with his own sardonic smile in place. "Sounds as though we have a duel on our hands. I look forward to facing the Divine Blade."

* * *

**Boom. Stuff just got real.**

**On another note, my first book- starring Mataras- is now available to own through Amazon on paperback or on Kindle! A lot of you have already expressed interest in my book and Mataras as a character, and a number of you have even gone so far as to already buy it, which makes me very happy and feel very flattered! For those of you who want to know more about Mataras' real story, look up my novel, Dragon Roar, on Amazon or at WestBow Press (the company that prints it). At the moment, Amazon is experiencing a shortage in supplies because too many people bought my book! However, they will be restocking within the next day or so, so please don't hesitate to place your order if you want it!**

**Disclaimers: I don't own any part of Amazon or WestBow Press in any way.**

**Claims: Mataras and Dragon Roar are mine by laws of copyright.**


	10. Legends of Aincrad

**A/N: Here is the duel that you've all been waiting for! Sachi vs. Godfree! Kirito vs. Heathcliff! Mataras vs. Raphael! Will Asuna be set free? Or will the Moonlit Black Cats be absorbed into the Knights of the Blood-Oath?**

**This is the longest chapter that I have ever written for anything, including my IRL novel, Dragon Roar. I hope you all enjoy it!**

* * *

Legends of Aincrad

"Are you guys _stupid_?!" Asuna shouted, frustrated. "How could you agree to a duel like that?!" She was within an ace of slapping Kirito, who tried to calm her down before she actually did slap him.

"Sorry, sorry!" he said as he held his hands up in front of him. "It just kind of happened!"

"Ugh…" Asuna groaned.

"What are you so worked up about?" Mataras snorted disdainfully. "You have to know that we'll beat your number three and four guys. Even if Kirito doesn't beat Heathcliff, I wager that you'll be a free woman by sundown."

"I know, but…" Asuna groaned again sat down heavily.

Sachi moved to sit beside her and said, "Don't worry, Asuna. We've got this one in hand. Kirito can probably even beat Heathcliff by the second round, and we can go home early."

"I hope so," Kirito muttered, his chin now in both his hands. "Nobody's ever seen his health bar drop below yellow, though. That's not a great stat for me to face."

"Well, even if you do lose, I've got you covered," Mataras said as he swung his red blade. "I am _not_ letting some second-rate nerd beat me in a swordfight."

"I can't imagine you losing to anyone, Mataras," Sachi chuckled softly. "I'm still confused why you're not fighting Heathcliff?"

"It's an honor thing," Mataras smirked. "I couldn't very well deprive our leader the honor of facing the living legend himself." Before any of the others could utter retorts against him, the horn sounding for the first match went off, and Sachi stood.

"That's my cue," she said as she drew her sword.

"Are you sure you don't want to take the Dark Repulser?" Kirito offered.

"Kirito, we've been over this," Sachi sighed as she started walking towards the gate. "I like the defense boost that the Tsunami Crest gives me. I'll be fine."

"Good luck out there," Mataras said with a genuine smile as his sister walked out onto the arena. "Take him down!"

"You know I will," Sachi returned the smile as she looked back over her shoulder. The three teenagers moved to watch, one with an orange dragon on his shoulder. Litrosh would not be a part of the battle, should Mataras need to fight, but his master insisted on him coming to watch anyways.

* * *

Sachi stared down her opponent, a rather rounded man named Godfree. He was in charge of the assault team on the KOB, she knew from what Asuna had told her. He was wearing the traditional white-and-red of the guild, and he also had a silver axe on his back, and she eyed it warily. According to his Vice-Commander, he was big on his strength points, but not so much on his speed.

The man sent her a duel request, to which she agreed immediately. And the countdown began. The two duelists stood about twenty paces apart from one another.

_If he hits me, even once, I might be done for_, she thought as she closed her eyes in concentration. She strove to block out everything around her, from the screams of the crowds to the hot sand beneath her feet. She shut it all out, just like Mataras had taught her to do, were she to ever end up in a duel. The only thing that existed was her body, and the sword she wielded in her hand. Nothing else carried any significance to her senses until she was ready to begin the fight with fire in her eyes.

_If I can get inside the range of his axe…_ She took her stance, twirling her blade on either side of her body before crossing her arms over her chest with her blade pointed flat at Godfree.

"You sure you want to do this, girlie?" The man grinned in a friendly manner as he spoke. "If you wanna throw in the towel now, I won't hold it against you."

"Maybe you wouldn't," she replied tersely. "But I know that I would hold it against myself."

"You've got spunk, kid," Godfree grinned as the countdown neared its end. "We'll be glad to have you in the guild."

"In your dreams!" Sachi cried even as the timer went off. Not wasting even half a second, she darted forward at top speed. She wasn't as fast as Mataras or Kirito, but Godfree was definitely taken by the speedy thrust. He barely managed to dodge being impaled as the girl struck him with a skill that caused her sword to glow light green and allowed her to leap such a great distance.

He moved to strike her in the back with his massive weapon, his axe glowing orange as he did. Sachi whirled around, aided by the system's auto-assist. Her single attack smoothly transferred into a whirling attack that got her inside the range of his weapon and allowed her to strike him three times with a glowing yellow sword.

He leaped backwards, shocked at her speed. Looking at his health bar, he go a sinking feeling as he realized that his health was more than a quarter gone, while she remained completely unscathed. Using every point that he had invested into his strength stat, he leaped high and backwards.

Sachi watched him go, waiting patiently. Something Mataras had drilled into her during their training sessions was, _Let them second-guess you. Lead with your second best, and if that's all it takes, good. But always keep an ace up your sleeve. Never let them see what you're made of right away._ Setting her jaw, she readied her leaping thrust once again, prepared to attack Godfree the instant that the came in range.

"Is that all that the KOB's vanguard commander can offer?" she taunted with a cheeky smile, another tip of Mataras'. "I thought that you guys were the top guild or something like that?"

"Hey, there's no need to make this personal," Godfree said, cocking his head with a slight frown. "You guys want something, we wanted something else, and this is the way that we decided to settle it. Why you gotta try and compare which guild is better in the middle of everything?"

Sachi sighed heavily in response. That wasn't the response that she'd been hoping for. She had assumed that he would react like most men do when their pride is threatened- lash out with reckless abandon. Apparently Godfree was too relaxed to even get that out of him. _Looks like this is going to have to be done the hard way_, she decided.

Leaping forward again, she scored another hit on the man, much to his shock and discomfort. This time, he tried for a weaker-yet-faster attack that made his axe glow royal blue. The first time Sachi had attacked him, he had wanted to end things quickly before they really got started. Now he realized that her superior speed stat was going to be his loss unless he could somehow retaliate.

His attack missed her by a hand's breadth. She actually felt the wind of the axe pass her by as it stuck into the sand. The girl's eyes widened as she realized that she now had a very welcome opportunity to finish things off even without having to drain his health down to yellow.

Spinning around with a sword that glowed white, she aimed straight at his axe handle. Just like Mataras had told her, humans often let go of the object they hold in an attempt to escape the impending attacks that they are faced with. Godfree was no different, and in trying to escape the blow, he sealed the fate of the duel.

As he jerked backwards involuntarily, he moved his left hand directly into the path of the glowing blade. A second later, he let out a startled cry as he realized that he was now missing a hand. Which meant that the axe he carried, a two-handed weapon, could not be used until the hand grew back.

Sachi grinned at him and said, "What's it gonna be? You can try and dodge my attacks for the three minutes that it takes for you to regrow the hand, which we both know won't happen. Or you can call it quits, and I'll be the winner of this round."

"Never!" Godfree roared heartily. "I never back down from a fight for the sake of my guild and the players of Aincrad!" His words echoed in Sachi's mind, eerily similar to Corvatz's before he died.

Sighing sadly, she raised her sword into attack position. "If that's what you really want," she said. "I promise to make this fast." Godfree began to sweat lightly as he saw Sachi's sword light up again.

* * *

The duel screen showed Sachi's victory within two minutes, thirteen seconds. Mataras smiled and hugged her as she walked off the stadium, accompanied by the massive crowd's cheers. "Good work out there!" he laughed as she returned the hug.

"I had the best teacher," she said. "Thank you."

"Eh, don't thank me," he said as he rubbed her head affectionately. "That victory was under your own power, not mine. Be proud of that, Sachi."

"I will, Big Brother," she said as she tightened the embrace again. Turning to Kirito, she said, "Good luck out there, Kirito. Show the KOB what we've really got."

He grinned and said, "I think they already know." Then the horn sounded and he snapped his gaze over to Asuna, who nodded her approval.

"Go get him, Kirito," she encouraged her friend. "Just promise me you'll be careful, okay?"

"I will," he grinned. "You'll be free to take off as many days as you want once this is over, Asuna." He added a small wink as he stepped out the gate, to which Asuna blushed furiously, much to the amusement of Mataras and Sachi.

* * *

Looking around, Kirito could tell that the crowd was even more riled up than they had been for Sachi and Godfree's fight. And really, he couldn't blame them- they were about to see two unique skill-users go toe-to-toe, not to mention that they were both leaders of the top guilds in Aincrad. Still, the reclusive part of Kirito that still existed wished that they could have done the duel in a less public setting, even if it did mean that there were more witnesses to assure Asuna's freedom when the whole thing was over.

Heathcliff seemed to be having some similar thoughts as he looked around and said, "I honestly didn't expect this to become such a big event. It's crazy." He added a wry smile at the end as he looked at his black-coated opponent.

"Maybe my guild can get a cut of the tickets, then," Kirito smirked.

"No," Heathcliff said, all business. "But since your guild has put up more of a fight than I expected them to, I'll make sure to forgo the normal initiation procedure once you're all part of the Knights of the Blood-Oath. You will even be free to make your own party if you wish."

"Heh," Kirito snorted as Heathcliff sent him a duel invite, which he accepted. "You've got a thing or two to learn if you think that Mataras is going down even if you beat me. He's the Red Swordsman, remember? Known for hunting down dangerous players specifically?"

"I'm well aware of that," Heathcliff replied evenly as he drew his straight sword out of his crucifix shield and gripped each one tightly. His red armor gleamed brightly, though not overtly so in the noontime sun. "Honestly, I had expected Sachi to lose to Godfree, which is why I insisted on us fighting second. I wanted to have this whole ordeal over by the end of this fight, but it seems that we will have to proceed to round three once our battle is finished. We might as well give the audience a show, right? Although, I doubt that Mataras can last very long against Raphael, despite his obvious skill."

Kirito's eyes narrowed and his teeth became bared in a soundless snarl. "That's crossing the line, Heathcliff," he growled as the counter hit five.

"Hmm?" Heathcliff seemed honestly confused.

"Don't _ever_ mock my guild members!" Kirito roared, launching himself at Heathcliff at top speed even as the battle began. "_Starburst Stream_!" The sixteen-hit combo was on its way, and even the living legend himself was surprised at the ferocity behind the blows.

The Black Swordsman could almost imagine the conversation that his guild would be having right now. "He just used his best move!" Sachi would exclaim in shock. "That's dangerous, isn't it?"

Mataras, of course, would give off his trademark smirk and answer, "Starburst Stream is a strong combination, but it's not the best that dual-wielding has to offer. Trust Kirito- he knows what he is doing."

_I won't let them down_, he vowed. More than just Asuna's freedom depended on this fight- Mataras and Sachi's lives were involved now, too. When his attack ended and Heathcliff came out from behind the shield, Kirito stabbed at his exposed ribs. The man parried and then slammed Kirito with his shield, sending him reeling.

The black Swordsman glared at the armored paladin as he thought, _So the system recognizes the shield as an attack, even if it's a basic move. He might as well be dual-wielding himself._ This did nothing to deter him from aiming towards victory, though. Both swords glowing yellow, he unleashed another combo attack against Heathcliff's seemingly impenetrable defense, landing a few hits, but being stabbed himself twice with heavier attacks.

When the two combatants separated for a moment's respite, Heathcliff nodded approvingly at his younger opponent. "Your reflexes are incredible," he said with a slight smile.

"Heh, and your defense is impenetrable," Kirito replied in the same manner. Then the two of them collided again, with the teenager unleashing Starburst Stream one last time, determined to knock the shield out of the way and land one last blow on the leader of Asuna's guild, for he could see that his health was nearing the yellow zone. The time was now.

As soon as his left sword beat the shield out of the way, the black sword in his right hand came up and began its downward arc to finish the duel. Then, in a much different manner than he had expected, the duel _was_ over.

In the second before- no, rather in the time _between_ the seconds- Heathcliff moved his shield back just in time to block Kirito's attack. The paladin then stabbed the Black Swordsman in the arm and brought his health down to yellow. Thus his perfect record was maintained, and Kirito looked up at him, stunned.

Although, far from looking smug as he had moments before, Heathcliff looked almost angry, which puzzled Kirito. He had just won the second round, so shouldn't he be happy? And how in the world had he moved that fast?

* * *

"Are you all right?" Mataras asked Kirito as he sat down heavily, exhausted.

"Yeah," he said with a tired frown. "I just don't understand."

"I told you that fighting the commander was suicide," Asuna said.

Mataras snapped his glare up to fix on her as he growled, "This is not the time, Asuna." Turning back to Kirito, he said in a lower tone, "Tell me I'm not the only one that noticed how fast he moved."

"I was right there, of course I noticed," Kirito replied with a deeper frown. "I just don't understand how that could have happened. I mean, if I had been lagging, maybe that would explain it, but you saw it too, so that can't be it."

"Hmm…" Mataras scowled, deep in thought. "Does he maybe have another unique skill? Something that boosts his speed?" Before anyone could answer him, the signal for the next duel sounded into the room, and Mataras filed the thought away for later. "Let me know if something like that happens and I don't notice this time," he said as he walked out.

"Good luck, Brother!" Sachi called out, to which he gave a thumbs-up.

"Go get this guy!" Kirito encouraged.

"I believe in you!" Asuna added.

* * *

Mataras kept walking until he was twenty paces away from another sword-and-shield user. His name was Raphael, and he was the third-in-command, only under Asuna and Heathcliff in terms of authority, although according to Asuna, they were almost completely matched in skill. Sometimes she had even wondered if Raphael was actually better than her, and Heathcliff just had her as the Vice Commander not only because of her skill with a rapier, but because of her natural beauty. It would certainly explain why so many top-level players would be eager to join up with the KOB.

_Well, maybe more people will be eager to join the Moonlit Black Cats once this is over_, Mataras grinned to himself. _Too bad our acceptance rate is only about one in a thousand._

"What are you smiling about, Red Swordsman?" the young man facing him asked with a trace of hostility.

"The thought of your imminent defeat," Mataras replied, his smile changing from thoughtful to smug. "You might be skilled, but not even Asuna would be able to best me in a duel. Don't get cocky on me- it makes for overconfident, easy opponents."

"Hmph," Raphael snorted as he sent his opponent a duel request. "I could say the same to you. Just don't ask me for any favors once this duel is over."

Mataras snorted with contempt and watched as his opponent drew his sword and heft his shield into position. When he failed to draw his own blade, Raphael cocked his head. "Do you plan on fighting me with your bare hands?"

"Not exactly," Mataras smiled wider, like a wolf preparing to devour its prey. "Although I must admit, the thought of beating you so easily is rather tempting."

"You dare address me like that, you bastard?!" Raphael shouted, his eye twitching slightly. The movement reminded Mataras a bit of Kuradeel, although he doubted that Raphael was that level of mental.

"I'll address anyone anyway I choose," Mataras replied as he settled into a fighting stance, still unarmed. "I'm a free man, and I'll be blasted before I let any man tell me how to speak or not speak." The timer went off, and Raphael charged with his shield forward and sword coming up with a blue glow. Exactly as Mataras had hoped he would.

As soon as Raphael came in for an overhand attack, Mataras darted forward and grabbed his shield with both hands, much to the shock of the knight and the crowd. He then used the tightly strapped shield to his own advantage, heaving mightily, using Raphael's momentum to his advantage and throwing him a number of meters with his own shield to sprawl in the dust.

Raphael looked up in shock to see Mataras draw his own blade with great speed and charge at him. Since he had managed to interrupt Raphael's attack, which meant that the Blood-Oath knight was paralyzed for five seconds- more than enough time for Mataras to cross the distance and get in a good stab on Raphael's leg. The attack drained his health by about one-sixth and shocked the young man.

But he was far from being out of the fight. Sword glowing ice-blue this time, he unleashed a rapid-paced attack, much like the one that Asuna favored in combat. It hit Mataras a couple of times, despite his lightning reflexes. It also forced him to retreat, allowing Raphael to scramble to his feet.

"Well, you are no slouch, I'll give you that," Mataras nodded with a trace of respect.

"And I admit that I expected slower reflexes from you," Raphael replied. Mataras chose not to reveal that he had invested a good number of his experience points gained from defeating the Gleam Eyes into his agility stat. He already had a very high attack stat, and he believed that speed was always the most decisive of the three stats in a battle. Attack was a good one to have, and defense wasn't really necessary for him because of his reflexes, though he didn't completely neglect to invest in it. He wasn't so arrogant to believe that his abilities were infallible, as Raphael had just demonstrated.

The two young men clashed again, Raphael's attacks swift and accurate, Mataras' speedy and unpredictable. Of the two of them, it was clear that Mataras was the better fighter, but Raphael was quite skilled at using the auto-assist function to chain his attacks together whenever he could.

The biggest drawback was, Mataras was able to see a pattern emerge after a couple of minutes of combat. Their duel had lasted the longest so far, which meant that they were both capable attackers and defenders. However, Mataras would not be denied his victory, nor his freedom. Both of them were at about two-thirds of their health when Mataras made his final play.

Eyes blazing silver, he let out a wordless bellow and renewed his own attacks as soon as Raphael let loose with another rapid-pace combo. Pushing his renowned skill to the limit, he deflected the long sword with his own thicker blade to the side and immediately whirled his sword to sever Raphael's shield arm at the elbow, and bringing them face-to-face much to the shock of the white-armored duelist. His forearm and hand shattered, though the shield remained.

Even worse, his health was now near the yellow zone, and Mataras still had three seconds left on the clock before his paralysis would wear off. His eyes locked on Mataras' normally dark-colored orbs, looking for any sign of mercy that might grant him a respite and another chance.

But Mataras wasn't known to show mercy, and he wasn't about to start, either. He was known for exploiting any available weaknesses that he could find, and doing it effectively. With a cold smile, he brought his red sword up in reverse to slash Raphael across the chest. Even though his health dropped down into the yellow, he stepped backwards and used the extra space to lash out with a reverse kick to send Raphael reeling. The white-and-red armored knight fell back into the dust, whereupon Mataras moved fast to stomp on his chest and flick his blade to his throat.

Looking up Raphael could see that his eyes were back to their normal color, but no less chilling for it. Dark like thunderclouds that promised a furious storm, his eyes drilled into Raphael's, and the message in them read, _You could be dead_. He gulped nervously and didn't move until Mataras turned around and walked off, the duel over.

As the Red Swordsman walked away, he ignored the cheers of the crowd and instead looked across the field to see Heathcliff manipulating his menu. When he looked up, his grey eyes met Mataras' with a slight frown. Mataras responded with another wolfish smile that said, _Challenge us again, and you'll be facing _me_ next time_.

Heathcliff held the gaze for a moment before giving him a dry smile in return. _Perhaps someday_, he seemed to be saying. They both nodded, looking forward to it. Then Mataras looked over to see his teammates charging out onto the field, all smiling.

He smiled broadly at them in return as he saw that Asuna's health bar no longer displayed the KOB symbol on it. He realized that Heathcliff must have released Asuna from the guild just before they had issued their challenges to one another. The first ones to reach him were Kirito and Litrosh, with the latter perching atop his head, and the former grasping forearms with his friend as he said, "That was the best fight I've ever seen!"

"Are you serious?" Mataras replied with sincerity. "I thought that your fight with Heathcliff was amazing up until he got lucky."

"Oh, stop being modest," Sachi laughed as she shouldered Kirito aside to give Mataras a big hug. "It doesn't really suit you." He returned the embrace in addition to twirling her around.

The last one to reach him, interestingly enough, was Asuna. He reasoned it was because she wanted his guild mates to be able to express their congratulations to him first. Putting his adopted sister down, he faced Asuna with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile, waiting for her to speak first.

"Thank you, Mataras," she said with a smile and an extended hand.

In response, he grasped her hand with both of his and returned his eyebrow down to its natural level and smiled with a small light in his eyes. "I was glad to help," he said. Then he guided her hand to rest on Kirito's arm, much to both of their surprise. "But Kirito is the guy to thank. Without his knowledge, Sachi and I never would have been able to become this strong, and then who knows? He might have ended up having to fight Heathcliff on his own."

"That's not a comforting thought," Kirito admitted with a rueful grin. "But…" He placed his own hand on Asuna's as Mataras' left hers resting there and smiled warmly. "Since you're out of a job now, would you like to join our guild, Asuna?"

"Kirito…" Asuna smiled happily with a film of tears in her eyes. "After everything we've been through together, I can't think of many things that would make me happier. Of course I'll join you guys!" And she threw her arms around Kirito, much to the displeasure of many male players in the stands, who shouted angrily with jealousy.

"Uh…" Sachi looked around nervously at some of the angry faces. "Maybe we should finalize this somewhere else?" Even Kirito, who was normally oblivious, could understand why she would feel that way.

"Yeah, he said. "Let's get moving to the gate and get to Agil's. He said we could hide there for a day or so if we needed to."

"Probably because he knows that if words gets out as to where we are, it'll be good for his business," Mataras remarked dryly. Nonetheless, none of the others had a better plan, so they raced to the gate as fast as they could, barely managing to escape a group of crowd-hyped fans.

* * *

"Well, selling the house wasn't that hard," Mataras said sourly. "It was getting out of there that was hard. I had to use a teleport crystal again, and now I need to restock. Stupid crowds…" He scowled as he sat down on one of the chairs. Litrosh looked up at him from the table, and he rubbed the little dragon's head.

"Well, it coulda been worse, I guess," Sachi sighed. "We managed to keep all of our furniture, right?"

"Yes, but I'm just about to run out of inventory space," Mataras replied, his mood not lifted. "Everyone wants to know how to get the skill that rivals Heathcliff's, or that lets you beat a KOB member silly."

"Yeah, well it's your own fault for being a bunch of show-offs," Liz smirked at the Red Swordsman, who gave her a smoldering look in return. The two of them had been at odds ever since she agreed to help Agil manage the shop with all the extra customers he was getting as a result of his temporary guests.

"Get back to work before I decide to give myself a refund on the Dark Repulser," he growled. "And don't think I won't- I'm the Red Swordsman Dragon Master." Lisbeth immediately headed downstairs. As she left, Mataras growled, "Crazed fans, _and _a rejected girl with obsession issues? It must be my _birthday_!" He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes tightly, trying to ward off a headache.

Sachi gave Mataras a disapproving look. "I thought that you were making progress," she said, slightly disappointed with his attitude, even if he had been dealing with a lot.

"Baby steps," he muttered. "Where are Asuna and Kirito?"

"Up on the roof," Sachi replied. "I decided to wait for you until you were done with the sale so we could all eat lunch together up there and decide where we should have the new home base." She stood up and opened the window.

Litrosh looked up again, and leaped out the window right after Sachi did. Mataras sighed and followed the, muttering to himself, "Knowing Kirito's stomach, he probably suckered Asuna into giving him his sandwich already." Nonetheless, his stomach also rumbled in anticipation of eating one Asuna's meals.

_Lucky kid_, he thought as he leaped onto the roof to see Sachi, Litrsoh, and the other two teenagers, sitting so that their shoulders nearly brushed. _If this keeps up, he's going to end up married to her_.

* * *

Later that day, after lunch, the guild- Asuna had officially joined the afternoon following the duel- decided to go for a little excursion on floor sixty, a favorite hunting ground for the Cats. It was set in a forest plateau, with tall trees everywhere on the rocky pathways. There weren't many monsters on the floor, but they often had good drop items. Not to mention the scenery was almost out of a storybook, although Mataras insisted that there was a similar set of mountains in the eastern region of the United States.

When they stopped for a break on their way back to town in the early evening, Sachi passed out some cookies that she had made that morning with Agil's stove. "I know my skill isn't as high as Asuna's," Sachi admitted sheepishly as she handed out the snacks, "But I hope they're good enough."

"You sell yourself short," Mataras smiled as he bit into one. "This is very good, Sachi."

"I'll say!" Kirito agreed heartily as he tore into a chocolate chip cookie.

"They're both right," Asuna nodded. "This is pretty good. Maybe you could show me how to make them sometime?"

Before Sachi could reply, a high-pitched voice said, "I'm afraid that won't be happening, dearie!" A small dart suddenly flashed out of the trees to strike Sachi, who stiffened and dropped to the ground, stunned.

"What the- ugh!" Kirito was hit the next instant, followed immediately by Asuna. Only Mataras managed to doge being hit the first time, since he was now aware of what was happening, but another dart suddenly stuck him from another direction, locking his virtual muscles and making him slouch against the tree he had been resting against a moment ago.

"Four down!" A voice sang out from the trees. From that direction stepped out a man whose face was hidden by a black cloth that only showed red eyes from under his hood. His walked over to the downed team, giggling and swaying. On one of his gloves that he waved at them was the mark of the murder guild, Laughing Coffin.

"Is that who I think it is?" Kirito growled. "Johnny Black?"

"Hmm?" the man said with a cocked head as he reached Kirito, crouching beside him. "Oh no, I'm not Jon Jon, but I can understand why you'd think that- we do share a family resemblance after all. You know, how sometimes cousins look alike so that sometimes they're mistaken for siblings?" Kirito knew exactly how that was, but he wasn't going to tell this member of Laughing Coffin that.

"No no, I'm not Johnny," the man giggled again. "I'm Knife-finger Ned, and the new right-hand to Poh." Mataras' eyes narrowed in anger at the mention of Laughing Coffin's leader. He had hoped to kill that man during the raid, but as fate would have it, one the Dragon Alliance's men had been killed trying to prevent his and another man's escape- Ned's escape now that he thought about it.

Ned twirled one of his knives with obvious skill and said "And while you're all just lying around, I'd like you to meet the man that made this all possible." He pointed to where the first knives had come from.

And out from them stepped an all-too familiar figure, despite his new uniform. Where there had once been clean white and red armor, Kuradeel now wore black, dirty garments that aided stealth abilities. In his right hand, though, was a replica of the sword that Kirito had destroyed during their duel.

"You bastard…" Kirito snarled, trying in vain to move past the effects of the poison. "You joined a murder guild, huh? Makes sense, actually…"

"Yes, that's how I got the skills to paralyze you bastards, and how I'm going to kill you," Kuradeel giggled, his eyes wide with dark pleasure. "I think we'll kill the boys first, so that way we can hear the girls scream longer- sound good, Ned?"

"I like that idea!" Ned said cheerfully, as though someone had asked a little boy if he wanted some pizza or ice cream. "It might actually be better than my game where they all kill each other to try and survive! Oh, but we'd better get this done soon, or the poison will wear off. We can't have that!"

And he moved closer to Mataras, even as Kuradeel moved to kill Kirito. They both giggled even louder as Asuna and Sachi shouted in vain for them to stop. Kuradeel stabbed Kirito in the leg first, causing the Black Swordsman to grunt in pain. Giggling, Ned went to do the same to Mataras, only to see Mataras smiling at him.

The next instant, Sachi moved and tore the knife out of her shoulder before she proceeded to stab Ned with it. Even though the poison was one-time use, the madman shrieked in shock and went down, even as she used an antidote crystal on Mataras. He leapt to his feet, sword instantly in hand. "Get the others," he said to his sister. "I've got this in hand."

"Oh you do, now do you?" Ned giggled as he rose, suddenly back in control of himself. "Let's see how well you do when I hit you with this baby?" He pulled out a sword tinted green with poison. "Dance, shall we?"

"Hmph," Mataras whirled his sword to deflect the blade with ease as soon as Ned stabbed at him. He was almost taken by Kuradeel's surprise attack from behind, though he managed to deflect it by flipping the blade behind his back. "Too slow," he taunted.

"Die, damn you!" Kuradeel screamed.

"You first," Kirito growled, now on his feet. Black blade in hand, he attacked Kuradeel with a weak-but-fast attack called Rage Spike. The blow took him in the arm, causing him to shriek and turn to face the Black Swordsman.

As Kirito dueled the former KOB knight, Mataras unleashed his own style on Ned, an unpredictable form of swordplay invented entirely on his own. Both the Black and Red Swordsmen were clearly the better fighters, and when Sachi and Asuna rejoined the fray, they didn't stand a chance.

It seemed to end for Kuradeel when Asuna had him on his knees. He begged pitifully for her not to end his life, and at the last moment, she hesitated. Sensing this, Kuradeel let out a wild swipe and beat her rapier from her hand and prepared to remove her head from her shoulders. But Kirito was even faster, shoving her out of the way and blocking with his left hand, which caused it to be cut off and shatter into sparks. But his right hand still held his elucidator and it stabbed Kuradeel through the chest, draining the last of his health points.

"Damn you…" he groaned. "You… murdered me…" Then he shattered, much to Kirito's satisfaction. The pair turned just in time to see Mataras slash Ned across the chest and kill him with a stoic face.

"Rot in hellfire," he growled. Whirling his sword in reverse as he always did when a battle was over, he sheathed his blade. Turning to his guild mates, he said, "That should be the last time Laughing Coffin bothers us. I doubt Poh would want to come after us himself, and he's probably the only one that could actually hurt any of us other than those two." He opened his menu and passed out health potions to everyone.

To his surprise, when he handed one to Asuna, she began to sob uncontrollably. "Asuna…?" Kirito asked softly as she broke down in his arms.

"I'm so sorry…" she cried. "This is all my fault… If I hadn't joined you guys, Kuradeel wouldn't have…" She began to hiccup in addition to her tears. "I… should… stay away from all of you… For your sakes."

"Asuna," Mataras shook his head firmly. "You're part of our family now. We're not going to just let you walk away like that. You mean too much to us."

"But-" Her words were cut off as Kirito raised her chin and kissed her right on the mouth. She seemed to resist for a moment, then she melted into the tender embrace. Mataras and Sachi looked on with raised eyebrows and open mouths. They both knew that there was chemistry between the two of them, but this was something that neither of them had expected for a while longer. Then again, Mataras thought, it wasn't a surprise that their emotions would come to the fore like this with their lives having been in serious danger a moment ago.

When they finally separated, Kirito bowed his head against Asuna's and he said, "My life belongs to you… Until the end. I'll make sure that you get home, no matter what."

New tears spilled from her eyes, but now they were tears of joy instead of pain. "And I… will be there to protect you," she said as she wrapped her arms around him in return.

"Asuna… Can I stay the night with you?" Kirito looked at her with utter sincerity. But before she could muster a response, another voice broke in.

"Oh no, you don't!" Mataras objected, causing the young couple to flush furiously as they suddenly remembered that there were others present. "There is no way that you two are spending the night together unless you're married first!"

"Why not?!" Asuna shot back, her face still bright red. "Couples do that kind of thing all the time! Why shouldn't we?!"

"Wait, what?" Kirito gasped. Then it hit him. "Oh, wait… No, Mataras, I swear I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted to sleep next to her…"

"Oh yes, like it would stop there!" Mataras snorted. "You are teenagers with a ridiculous surplus of hormones running through your bodies right now. Oh sure, you may be fine here and now, but when it comes to it? Would you really say no if she came on to you?"

"Yes…" Kirito replied slowly. Mataras raised his eyebrow and Kirito relented. "Okay, no, probably not. Still, what do you have against it?"

"Okay, let me ask you this," Mataras snapped. "If you sleep together now, out of wedlock, how will you ever be able to trust each other that you won't sleep with another person out of wedlock?!" His eyes were silver, indicating his intense passion on the subject, which surprised the others. Even Sachi seemed surprised at the level of vehemence that he was displaying now.

"Uh… Maybe he has a point?" Kirito said uncertainly.

"You're seriously taking his side?" Asuna asked, surprised.

"Well, that tells you that he's different than most men," Mataras said dryly, his eyes fading back to normal. "Most men would have jumped at the chance to get in your pants. But not him. Why? Because he cares about you."

Asuna's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Then she looked up at Kirito, who stirred uncomfortably. "Is that why?" she asked.

"Well, yeah," he said, sweating lightly. "I mean, I wouldn't want to put in you in a position where you had to do something because you felt like it was the normal thing to do. I mean, I want it, but I wanted you to want it too, and not just try to 'please me."

Before she could answer, Sachi finally found her voice to say, "Oh would you two just get married already?"

"Hunh?!" Both of them flushed bright red again.

"Why not?" Mataras grinned. "I mean, if you're willing to go 'until death do us part', then I don't have a problem with you engaging in, ahem, marital activities. And I think that you'll find Kirito a lot more eager, too. I mean, he gets to spend his life with a beautiful warrior like you, right?" His eyes drilled into theirs, and they realized that he didn't just mean in-game marriage. He meant actually promising to tie the knot in the real world when they could.

They looked at one another, and involuntarily, their minds wandered back over all the adventures that they had shared together in world of swords. And right then and there, they knew the answer to the question.

Kirito got down on one knee, and Mataras broke out into a huge smile as his friend uttered the immortal words, "Asuna, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Kirito, I will marry you," was the equally immortal reply. "With everything I am, I will stay by your side."

"And I will be the sword and shield that you deserve, even in the real world," he said as he rose to face her, his obsidian eyes hard as rocks, and conveying utter sincerity. He opened his menu and sent her a marriage invite, which she immediately accepted. Rings immediately appeared on their ring fingers, sealing the sacred pact.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Kirito Black Swordsman!" Mataras laughed, causing the newlyweds to redden brightly again, but they both smiled again. "Now, for the matter of finding you two a house…" Mataras said with his hand on his chin.

"There's a little secluded village on floor twenty-two," Sachi suggested. "The chances of them being disturbed there are minimal."

"What do you think?" Kirito asked his wife.

"That sounds perfect," she giggled.

Mataras nodded and said, "We'll help you get moved in since I've got all the furniture in storage. But what should we do with Asuna's apartment?"

"Um…" Kirito hadn't thought that far ahead.

Fortunately, Asuna quickly came up with a solution. "Why don't Mataras and Sachi live there? I mean, it'd be a shame to get rid of such a nice place, and not many people know that I live in Selmburg anyway. You two should be able to dodge the crowds that way."

"That's very generous of you," Mataras nodded. "Thank you for the offer. Unless Sachi objects, I think that we will take you up on that."

"Hey, wait," Kirito said suspiciously. "What was that you were just saying about spending the night with a-" The kick that he received sent him sprawling by a very red-faced Mataras.

"Sachi's my sister, and that's it!" he snapped. "And you know that we spend the night together all the time when you're there, and nothing happens!"

"Okay…" the Black Swordsman groaned. "That's fair… Sorry I said that."

"You should be," Sachi said, her face also red.

Asuna burst out laughing at the whole thing. At last the Legends of Aincrad were united as a family, and nothing could have made her happier.

* * *

Later, on their way home, Asuna turned to Sachi and asked, "So how did you manage to negate the paralysis like that?"

"Well, Kirito has dual-wielding, and Mataras has dragon blood," Sachi grinned sheepishly. "So..."

"Don't tell me," Asuna sighed. "You have a unique skill that lets you negate poisons?"

"Actually, Pure Heart makes me immune to recoil effects, burns, paralysis, and any other stat reductions," Sachi replied. "As you can imagine, it comes in handy quite a bit."

"I imagine," Asuna agreed. "But I have to wonder, maybe the Moonlit Black Cats just get unique skills for being a part of the guild."

"Maybe," Kirito grinned. "Who knows, Asuna? Maybe you'll get a unique skill, too."

_Wouldn't that be something_, Mataras thought to himself.

* * *

**Well, there you have it! That's who else escaped the Laughing Coffin massacre (he's related to the guy from the Illusionary Avenger episode that likes playing games with his victims). And now even Sachi has a unique skill! Be sure to let me know what you think of the skill I invented for her! Also,in case I wasn't clear enough, her starting stance is like Lucina/Marth's from Fire Emblem: Awakening.**

**Kirisuna fans, sorry if you were expecting a lemon, but as stated on my profile, I refuse to do those. Also, Mataras/I am very much against premarital sex. Why? Diseases, broken hearts, pregnancies that kids don't know how to handle, etc. Seriously, it's a bad idea, but hey, it's your life. The only thing I can do is offer advice, not issue decrees.**

**In any case, the next chapter will not have Asuna or Kirito as they will be on their honeymoon, but we will get to see a flashback concerning how Mataras met and won the loyalty of Litrosh. Sound good? Let me know with reviews and PM's!**


	11. Dragon Roar

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry if this is too short of a chapter, but I've been working on my new crossover fanfiction for the past few days. However, I know that this is a chapter many of you have been looking forward to, and just for kick, I named this chapter after my first novel! In it we will see how Mataras and Litrosh met one another, and how the new Moonlit Black Cats spent their first Christmas. As always, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Dragon Roar

Mataras smiled at the picture that Asuna had sent him of her and Kirito having a picnic down by the lake. There was no doubt about it, the two of them looked good together. He saved the file to his images, happy to preserve such a priceless moment. Normally he didn't take many photos, or save the ones that he was given. As matter of fact, it had been more than a year before he had taken a photo in the game himself.

Looking over at the red dragon napping lazily in the sun on the balcony of Asuna's apartment, his mind wandered back to a time before he had even considered Asuna a friend. A time when he was still trying to console Sachi over the loss of her friends. A time when, finally worn down by the depressing gloom that hung over their house like a black fog, he wandered out on his own for a day…

* * *

The Red Swordsman's face was set in grim lines as he trekked through the snow of floor seventeen. The dungeon that led to the boss room was a forested area where snow fell regularly during December, but he wasn't interested in leveling there. The place had been cleared out long ago, and only intermediate players visited that place anymore. And not to mention, most people were shut indoors today- after all, it was Christmas Eve.

Memories seared his mind like fire as he recalled warm nights spent with his sister, anxiously trying to guess their gifts before finally falling into a light sleep that would be instantly broken by the dawn's rays. Shaking his head and tossing his black bags about, he scowled and tried to forget those times by looking up at his destination- the bonus dungeon of this floor, Hades' Volcano.

He was closer than he'd thought, and the snow was becoming noticeably thinner around him. He drew his sword, a simple-looking silver blade that he hoped to retire by the end of the day. His goal was actually to defeat a rare fire dragon mob that supposedly lived on the far side of the volcano. It supposedly dropped a rare sword under the right circumstances, although what those were, he had no idea. He simply had time to kill, and this seemed like a good way to do it.

Not too long after, he found himself in a warm place, where the rocks radiated heat and no snow would ever fall. "On the eve of Christ's birth, here I stand at Hell's doorstep," he muttered to himself. "Irony at its finest." Then he began the trek to the other side of the fiery, treacherous mountain.

He met a few rock creatures along the way, none of which posed him any challenge. He was already level sixty-four, so this place was well below his margin of a challenge. The only thing that might pose him a threat would be a field boss, such as the supposed fire dragon. _If Argo led me off on a wild goose chase her, she's going to get more than some black coal for Christmas,_ he thought darkly. _I was hoping that this dungeon would have more of a challenge for me. Then again, most players that she sells information to would consider this place dangerous..._

Shrugging the thoughts off, he continued his journey in silence, only pausing to check his map every now and again to see if he was still going the right way. According to the map that Argo had sold him, the dragon was supposed to appear in a cave on the left side of the road…

* * *

When he drew near to the place, he shut off his menu and looked for the cave using his 'tracker sight' skill. The primary function of the skill was to help find a lost friend or companion, but if you leveled it high enough, you'd also get enhanced eyesight in general, as well as night vision whenever you activated it. Now with this ability, Mataras found his target easily.

"All right, Argo," he muttered. "You lead me this far. Time to see if there really is a dragon waiting to fight me in there." Drawing his sword, he advanced into the cave cautiously, expecting an angry reptile to come charging at him any second. But as he advanced several yards into the cave, he scowled heavily as nothing came out at him.

"Where are you, fire-spitter?" he growled aloud as he searched the dark interior. His sharpened eyes finally found what could possibly be a drop item towards the back, and he headed towards it, hoping to find a chest that he might be able to crack open with his new tools. Even a novice lock picker like him could use the set he carried to break into chests on floors as high as the thirties.

However, to his initial surprise and disappointment, he only found a large orange oval. He nearly kicked it in frustration before his memory kicked in. His mind flashed back to a Christmas three years prior, when he and Victoria were reading a new gift together…

* * *

"Wait, so this is a fire dragon egg, right?" the boy with brown hair said as he pointed a large red egg.

"No, that's a ruby dragon egg," his little sister said with a shake of her head. "_This_ is a fire dragon egg." She turned the page and pointed at an orange oval. "These eggs were supposedly kept near volcanoes instead of underground like gem dragons preferred to do. The eggs always needed to be kept warm, otherwise the hatchlings inside could get very sick."

"Oh, okay," the boy grinned. "That makes more sense, actually. Fire is orange, not red."

The girl giggled and replied, "Yeah, well it's not like it really matters, right? I mean, none of these are real, you know?"

"Maybe, but it's still fun to read about," the boy smiled wider as he scooted closer to his sister so that he could see well. "Honestly, I kind of wish that dragons were real. Life would be way more interesting that way."

"Yeah," Victoria agreed. "Who knows? Maybe with those new virtual reality games that everyone keeps talking about that are coming out in a couple of years, we'll be able to meet a dragon! Wouldn't that be cool?"

"Yes it would be," her brother mused with a small smile. "What kind of dragon would you like to meet, Victoria?"

"Hmm…" The girl thought hard before saying, "I'd like to meet a hatchling. I don't really mind what kind- a dragon is a dragon, after all. Right?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right," her brother chuckled again. "I suppose you're right…"

* * *

Mataras' eyes snapped open even as tears rushed out of them. As he tried in vain to clear his eyes, he thought, _How I wish that you could see this… I could have taken this egg home… Made it into a gift for you…_ He fell to his knees and cried in silence for a good long while as he mourned his sister once again, as he had so many times since he they day of her passing.

He was about to go home, having lost his taste for the quest at hand when the egg before him began to rock. His eyes widened as he saw multiple cracks forming at the more pointed end of the warm oval. _This thing hatches_? He thought with surprise. _I thought that mobs only spawned- I didn't think that there was a Genesis process for any of them!_

But he kept his disbelief in suspense as he watched the cracks become larger and more prominent. The egg began rolling around in the corner of the cave as the hatchling inside tried to get out of the place that had been its home. After what seemed like twenty minutes or so, an orange-and-red scaled leg burst out of the egg. This was shortly followed by a triangular head and another leg, then the chest and wings. Finally, after another few moments of struggling, the hatchling was free, all the way to the tip of its spiny tail.

It snorted a few fragments of the egg off of its snout and then turned to look at Mataras, who regarded it warily, unsure if it would attack him or not. Far from attacking him, however, the little orange dragon sniffed at his leg curiously before looking up at him with bright red eyes. It pawed at his leg almost like a cat as it sniffed at his fingers, much to his amusement.

Manipulating his menu with as little movement as possible, he pulled up a bit of raw duck meat that he had obtained while grinding the previous day. He held it out for the little reptile to sniff and then yank out of his hand hungrily. His smile widened slightly, though it still remained sad as the fire-breather wolfed down the meal.

Then it turned from sad to surprise as the dragon looked up at him again, and his menu appeared with the words, 'Fire Dragon wishes to befriend you. Will you accept?' Following the words were the 'yes' and 'no' options. Not entirely certain that he wasn't hallucinating, Mataras hit the affirmative command, and was then asked to give the new familiar a name. At first, his mind drew on a blank, and he was within an ace of selecting 'random', but then he remembered what his sister had called her favorite stuffed dragon toy as a little child.

He entered the name 'Litrosh' and was then met with a new health bar appearing under his own- his new familiar's HP bar, he realized. The baby dragon squawked and used its new wings to leap awkwardly onto his shoulder. He scratched it on the chin and started walking out the way he had come in. Once he stepped outside, he nearly had a heart attack when he came face-to-snout with a boss-sized version of Litrosh.

The massive fire dragon eyed him hungrily, and his hand moved automatically to draw his sword. This, however, jostled the little fire dragon, which squawked angrily at being moved around. Mataras looked over at his shoulder to see the little dragon glaring at him. When he looked back at the field boss, he was surprised to see that it no longer looked hostile, either.

Instead it was looking at Litrosh with a curious gaze, which surprised Mataras. Once mobs had targeted players, they always proceeded to attack. What in the world was going on?

He got his answer a moment later when the dragon returned its gaze to him and lowered its eyes to level with his. Then, even more shockingly, it spoke! "Warrior from afar, you have been blessed with the charge of protecting the last true dragon of Aincrad. Many have tried and failed to find the coveted egg, but you have prevailed. Go now and protect the child with your life." And the dragon touched him on the brow firmly.

He stood as still as a statue, still not sure whether or not the dragon was going to roast him and this was all some part of an elaborate trap. Then the massive orange and red dragon took flight, buffeting him with the wind from its wings, and disappearing into the smoke of the volcano. _That was it_? He thought in disbelief. _I thought that I was supposed to get a sword at the end of this!_

Sighing in a combination of disappointment and resignation, Mataras scratched the little dragon on the head and headed home.

* * *

He had just entered the streets of floor two at midnight when he got an alert from his inventory. He was intrigued to see that he was receiving a gift from Sachi. When he opened the package, inside was a recording crystal. His curiosity piqued, he hit the playback button, standing in the snow of Christmas morning with his new dragon asleep on his head.

"Merry Christmas, Mataras," the crystal said with Sachi's voice. "By the time you get this, I have the feeling I'll be dead, and I'm recording this just in case we never get a chance to say good-bye. Ever since you found me under that bridge, and you told me that we'd be alright, no matter what, I came to realize something important. You have a fire inside that I just don't, and that's nobody's fault but my own. You're so much stronger than I ever will be, but I wanted to thank you for looking out for me anyways.

"And I'm not just talking about inner strength- I figured out how strong you and Kirito really are when you traded swords the other day. I don't know why you didn't want to tell us your real level, but maybe someday you'll tell me. But it doesn't matter. What matters is, I really care about you, Mataras, and I want you to be happy.

"See, when I was little, my dad left my mom and me, and I never had an older brother to look up to. So I guess that's why I took to calling you Big Brother so easily. You've been good to me, Mataras, helping me without asking for anything in return. Despite how cold you act towards other people, I know from your interactions with Kirito and me that you're actually a kind-hearted person. I don't ever want you to stop being kind to your friends, at least.

"I recorded this because I knew that if I died, you and Kirito would blame yourselves terribly for it, and you might end up being bitter towards everyone else, or even each other. But I don't want you to live in regret, Big Brother. I want you to live and be happy, for my sake as well as yours.

"And who knows? Maybe I'll still be around when you get this, and then you can tell me how you feel about being a part of the Moonlit Black Cats. And how you feel about being my Big Brother. I know this'll be cutting it close, but since it's Christmas, I think I'll sing you a song. Believe or not, I'm actually not a half-bad singer.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Had a very shiny nose  
And if you ever saw it  
You would even say it glows  
All of the other reindeer  
Used to laugh and call him names  
They never let poor Rudolph  
Join in any reindeer games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve  
Santa came to say,  
Rudolph with your nose so bright,  
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight

Then how all the reindeer loved him,  
As they shouted out with glee,  
Rudolph the red-nose Reindeer  
You'll go down in history."

"Anyways, I hope that wherever you are, you're happy and safe, Mataras. Thank you. Good-bye." The crystal fell to the ground and shattered into thousands of polygons, startling Litrosh, who chirped and dug his claws into Mataras' scalp. But the boy's eyes were burning and he didn't even notice.

* * *

The house was dark and quiet as the Red Swordsman stepped inside. Well, not totally dark. He saw that the candles were still on in the kitchen, so he headed over to turn them off. He only stopped at the entrance when he saw Sachi sitting at the table, her gaze locked onto a scrapbook. As he watched, she turned the page and smiled sadly at a larger photo that took up a full page.

"Do you remember this one?" she asked without looking up.

Mataras moved to look over her shoulder at a picture of the Moonlit Black Cats, back before the days of floor twenty-seven. Ducker had Keita in a headlock while Sasamaru and Tetsuo stood off to the side, laughing at the sight. Kirito was standing on the left side of the picture, an awkward smile on his young face. And last of all stood Sachi on the right, smiling at her friends' antics, a long arm draped across her shoulders, which was attached to a serious-looking teenager in a red cloak. In the background was the tavern that they had used as a home base for many months.

"That was the day that we joined you guys," Mataras nodded as he spoke quietly.

"Yeah," the girl sighed as she shut the book and put it back in her inventory.

After a moment of silence, Mataras put his hand on her shoulder and said, "I got your message."

"You did?"

"Aye," he sighed. "You really thought that you were going to die, eh?"

"Yeah…" she sighed heavily. "And part of me even wishes that I had. But I know that would have hurt you really bad, so I keep on going. I'm… I'm sorry that I've been so down lately, Mataras. It's Christmas, and-"

"No, it's alright," Mataras said with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder. "We all get dozens of Christmas' in our lives, but a friend can never be replaced. The pain of loss never entirely goes away, but eventually you learn to bear it. You learn to live with the burden."

Sachi sagged slightly, and he could hear small gasps as her tears hit the table. "I… I wish… th-that I… could… be strong like you…" she gasped pitifully. Mataras moved to sit beside her, and as he did, Litrosh hopped onto the table and sniffed at Sachi's hands, which were wet with tears.

She looked up quickly and gasped in fright, but Mataras quickly reassured her. "Don't worry," he said soothingly. "Litrosh here won't hurt you."

"L-Litrosh?" she asked in a quavering voice.

"Yes," he nodded. "The sword Argo told me about was a hoax, but somehow I ended up with this little guy following me." And he scratched Litrosh on the chin, who warbled happily at the touch. After a moment, Sachi also began rubbing him on the back.

"He's beautiful," she said with a slight smile.

"I'm glad that you think so," Mataras smiled. "And for whatever it's worth, I'm really glad that you survived, Little Sister." Sachi turned and threw her arms around him, and he pulled her close as the tears flowed anew from his own eyes. "Merry Christmas, Sachi. I hope that we have many more together, both here in Aincrad, and in the real world…"

* * *

Mataras' eyes shot open as the memory stopped. Blinking rapidly, he realized that he must have dozed off. He chuckled as he recalled briefly that the next morning, Kirito presented him with the sword that he had been searching for. As it turned out, the Black Swordsman had paid his former partner in the beta test to get Mataras to go the wrong way while he went to go get the real sword for him in order to present it to him as a Christmas present.

"What're you laughing about?" Sachi asked as she came and joined her brother and the dragon on the balcony, holding a tray of sandwiches.

"I was remembering when Kirito gave me the Sun Blade for Christmas," he replied as he grabbed one of the sandwiches. "Don't ask me how I got to that memory. My brain works very strangely sometimes."

"I know," Sachi giggled. "You didn't need to tell me that last part." Mataras thought about glaring at her, but decided that it simply wasn't worth the effort. And even if he was going to say or do anything, he was interrupted by another message from Asuna.

It read, 'Meet us tomorrow morning at our new house, please. We found someone who needs help, and we're not sure what to do. Thanks guys, Asuna and Kirito.'

Frowning, Mataras showed the message to Sachi, who shared in a similar expression. "That's weird," she muttered. "Wonder who they found?"

"I have no idea," Mataras sighed. "There's no image attached this time. I just hope that whoever it is, they don't ruin Asuna and Kirito's honeymoon. The last thing they need is more attention right now."

* * *

**So I know it's nowhere near Christmas, but I decided that event would be the best point in time for a moment of character development like that, as well as a showing of how different things were for Kirito at that point, even though he's not really in this chapter.**

**Please leave me a review or message me with your thoughts, and I hope to see you all again next time!**


	12. The Child

**A/N: Okay, the chapter that so many of you have been eagerly awaiting is already here! I hope that the reactions recorded here are what you were hoping for, because personally, I find them pretty funny. See the bottom for an important announcement.**

**Oh, one last thing! I recommend watching Crossing Field by NateWantsToBattle on Youtube before you read each chapter, because I do, and it really helps set the mood. You can also watch the same song with the actual intro footage if you look up the same information on RagingxGhosts channel. Enjoy (and I don't own either the music nor the channels just mentioned)!**

* * *

The Child

"So, what did they find exactly?" Sachi asked as she and Mataras walked through the town of floor twenty-two. It was in the early part of the morning, where the sun had only been up for a half an hour or so. They were both wearing their signature colors, albeit without the armor and weaponry that they normally carried with them, though it was stored away in their inventory, ready to be equipped at a moment's notice. Litrosh was napping on top of Mataras' head, as was his want.

"All that the message specified was that they had found a person that might need our help," Mataras replied with a frown. "Here I am hoping that somebody doesn't have a job for us- I was getting used to being on vacation."

"If it was a job, don't you think that Asuna and Kirito would have just taken it themselves?" Sachi countered.

"No, I doubt that," Mataras sighed. "They're on their honeymoon, after all, and I doubt that they'd want to be bothered with a client right now."

"That's fair," Sachi conceded. "Still… I wonder what could be so important that they'd ask us down here all of a sudden." Mataras just hoped that it wasn't anything that involved violence for several more days.

* * *

As it turned out, what happened was- at least, in his opinion- much, much worse. "Yui, this is your Uncle Mataras and Aunt Sachi," Asuna said with a charming smile to a little girl with long, flowing black hair, and an adorable face.

"Wait, wha-?" Mataras sputtered as the little girl looked up and smiled at him shyly. "Uncle…? Wait, _what_?" Mataras took an involuntary step backwards while Sachi smiled brightly and went down to say high to the little girl.

"Hi there, Yui!" she said as hugged the child. "You're a cute little girl! Where did these two ever find such an adorable thing like you?" Yui awkwardly returned the hug, while looking up Asuna with a look that said, 'Help me; I don't know how to handle this!' Mataras could honestly say that he felt the same.

Looking over at Kirito, who was grinning, he walked over and whispered, "What in the world is going on here?! Why is Asuna telling her to call me her uncle?! You know I'm not good with little kids!"

"Whoa, calm down, bro," Kirito said as he held up his hands in defense. "She's the one that I told you about. She's lost her memory, and we might need help to find whoever her family might be. I mean, she's too young to have logged in by herself- at least that's what Asuna and I figured."

"And the part about calling me uncle…?" Mataras demanded slowly.

"Well… When we found her, she was passed out," Kirito answered. "We noticed pretty fast that she doesn't have a cursor of any kind on her- probably a system glitch. And when she woke up a little while ago, she wasn't able to pronounce our names. So now she calls me 'Daddy', and Asuna 'Mommy." Mataras and Kirito looked over at Asuna, who was beaming happily at the little girl as she started to warm up to Sachi, who was absolutely delighted to meet Yui. She looked happier than Mataras had ever seen her.

Mataras could only think of one thing to say as he saw attached Asuna was already. "Well this is probably going to end on a sour note," he muttered grimly. Kirito slapped him on the back of the head in response.

* * *

Later, when they were all having lunch, Mataras kept eyeing Yui nervously. He was never known for being able to deal with kids all that well, so he usually had left it up to his sister, Victoria. Now, however, Yui kept looking at him from her end of the coffee table with unusually intelligent eyes. He kept trying to ignore that stares that she gave him, but even while she ate a sandwich loaded with spices that would make even a fire dragon cringe, she barely blinked whenever she looked at him.

Asuna finally took notice after talking with Sachi for some time, and she turned to her surrogate daughter, saying, "Honey, it's rude to stare at people. You're making your uncle uncomfortable."

Yui cocked her head at Asuna and said, "But he seems so sad about something. I was hoping that maybe I could figure out why he's so sad, and then I could try and make his hurt go away." Mataras could only widen his eyes at the little girl, who looked back at him and gave him her most charming smile. "I think that he would have a nice smile," she added.

"Uh…" Mataras looked over at Kirito, who shrugged. "How old is she?"

"She looks about eight or so, but we really can't tell, and she doesn't remember," Asuna sighed as she grasped Yui on the shoulder gently. "She struggles with her words some of the time, so we don't know if maybe she's suffering some kind of psychological scarring from being trapped in here for two years. Just now was something we hadn't seen before, though."

"Well, you haven't known her for a whole day yet, either," Sachi pointed out. "Though you are right, most kids aren't that perceptive. Maybe Yui's just extra-special." She smiled at the little girl, who smiled right back.

"See?" she said as she turned back to Mataras. "Auntie has a nice smile! You should try to smile more often, too!"

"Eh…" Mataras grimaced. "My smiles… Usually don't find their source in amusement."

"What does that mean?" Yui asked with her head slightly cocked to the side.

"Uh…" Mataras began to sweat lightly. "Let's just say that I'm usually not a very nice person, and when I smile, others usually don't want to smile with me. I'm told that I can be rather scary when I smile."

"Then maybe you should try a different smile!" Yui giggled. "Mommy, Uncle is a very silly person, isn't he?" Asuna and Kirito could only chuckle as Mataras' eyebrows shot up and he sputtered as he tried to come up with a reply.

_Who is this child_? He thought, bewildered. _She seems so much like a normal child, and yet she seems to pick up in things that many adults would fail to notice._

* * *

Later, when Yui was outside, playing 'tag' with Litrosh under Sachi's supervision, the Moonlit Black Cats finally began to discuss what to do with the enigmatic child. "So…" Asuna sighed.

"So," Kirito repeated. "What to do? She's a blank slate. No memories at all…"

_What a terrible fate, to not know who you are_, Mataras thought with pity as he looked outside at the little girl with pity. _Such an existence would likely drive me mad._

"It's almost like she's a baby again," Asuna said, obviously trying not to cry. "I just… I'm sorry, guys… I just don't know what to do." Mataras looked on approvingly as Kirito moved over to clasp his wife's hand.

"I know how you feel," the Black Swordsman said quietly. "It's weird, seeing how we just met her and all… But somehow, having her here has made our little cabin feel like a real home." He smiled briefly, but then his face fell. "But it's a catch twenty-two. We have to get back to the front lines so we can work to clear the game for people like her. Otherwise, it just mean that much longer for her to be free from this death trap."

"So that's why you need our help in finding her family," Mataras said. "Your vacation is due to end in three weeks, and if she stays here for much longer, you know it'll be impossible to go back to fighting on the front lines. And as two of our best, the assault team would be hurting pretty bad without you guys."

"Yeah," Kirito said sadly. "We… Uh…" He paused to wipe his eyes for a second before sniffing and saying, "I'm thinking that we should start at the Town of Beginnings."

"Good start," Mataras nodded. "But those Army fools run that part of Aincrad, so we'd best go in armed." He grinned and cracked his knuckles as he said, "You know, when you guys called me down here, I was worried that you might have me go take care of a job fighting bandits for you. Now, I actually _want_ to fight somebody- I think vacation has been making me lazy."

"And the Red Swordsman's back," Kirito grinned slightly.

"Oh, but before we go down there," Mataras said as he opened his menu. "Sachi and I had something made for each of you, as wedding presents." Before either one of them could protest, he handed Asuna a white bundle of clothes, and Kirito a small box.

Asuna unfolded her bundle to find an outfit similar to her KOB uniform, save for that instead of red and yellow being the secondary themes, the red lines were now black with the yellow colored as silver. "How did…?" she looked up at a grinning Mataras, dumbfounded.

"I managed to purchase one of the KOB uniforms from your rearguard commander the other day," he answered. "Then I took it to a tailor to get the colors changed a bit so that you could match your husband." The young couple blushed at his words, but Asuna thanked him for his gift nonetheless.

Kirito's gift was a thick ring that would raise his speed by twenty points. "Where'd you get this?" the Black swordsman asked suspiciously, remembering that Grimlock had at one point been in possession of a ring like this one.

"Relax, I got it off a monster drop," Mataras said with a wave of his hand. "I haven't seen Grimlock since the day he was thrown in prison. I decided to give you that so you can keep up with miss Lightning Flash in the field." Kirito relaxed visibly and thanked his friend for his gifts.

* * *

As the Cats stepped into town through the teleport gate, each one grimaced slightly as they were struck by the same memory…

"_This marks the end of the tutorial, and the official start of Sword Art Online," Kayaba had said. "I wish you all the best of luck." Kirito had grabbed Klein and made a run for it. Asuna had collapsed on the cobblestones, sobbing as the people around her erupted into panic. Sachi had grabbed tightly onto Keita, who told his friends that it would be okay, that he'd figure something out, that they'd all make it out._

_Mataras had only looked up into the sky, staring at the place where his captor had been floating not a moment ago. As people around him screamed, cried, begged, and threatened, a slow smile had spread across his face. "Trap me in here will you?" he had said. "Let's just see if you're so high and mighty when you're at the end of my sword, Kayaba?"_

* * *

The Red Swordsman shook off the memories with a dark scowl as they walked down the street with Kirito and Asuna asking Yui if any of the buildings seemed familiar to her. The girl was riding on Kirito's shoulders piggyback style as they talked among themselves.

He eagerly awaited the day when he would be able to cut out the tongue that produced such a dry, mocking, overconfident voice that- Mataras froze in place. _I've heard that voice before_, he thought. _I've heard Kayaba's voice in here in Aincrad… But when?! And where?!_

Before he could think on it too hard, they heard a woman screaming. "Leave those children alone!" she was shouting. Mataras shared a look with his teammates right before they all took off down the alleyway where the voice had come from.

"Hey, it's that daycare bitch!" a man's voice echoed. "We've been waiting for you!" Then the voices dropped to where the Cats could hear that they were still talking, but what was being said couldn't be made out. As they charged down the alley, they saw a woman making to draw her sword against a squadron of Army troops, all of whom were laughing among themselves.

The Cats didn't even slow down as they approached. They leaped high over the Army men, landing clear behind their backs in front of a trio of small kids. Kirito and Asuna immediately attended to the children, who looked as though they didn't know whether to be relieved or frightened by the appearance of the four teenagers. Sachi and Mataras stared down the Army, who definitely didn't know what to do.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" One of them protested. "What's goin' on here?!"

"Hang on, I got this," the leader said as he stepped forward. Drawing his sword, he raised it high over his head as he said, "You all must be new in town, so I'm gonna make this really clear for you: we're with the Aincrad Liberation Army, and _you do not mess with us_!"

Mataras' eyebrow went up, and Sachi stepped back a couple of paces. "I think I'm gonna let you have this one, Brother," she said as she laughed nervously. "We'll just stay here and watch over the kids."

"That sounds good to me," Mataras grinned savagely as he pulled his sword out of his inventory. "Litrosh, stay with the others." The little dragon leaped off of his shoulder to land on Sachi's head.

The commanding officer laughed as the slim teenager in a red shirt and black jeans approached him with a jagged-looking blade. He was about to bring the sword down on his head to teach him a lesson when he felt an explosive force smash into his face and slam on his back before he could even blink.

"You threaten children," Mataras said, his dark eyes blazing like thunderstorm clouds. "You act like you're doing them a favor. I've seen your kind before. And you know what?" He stabbed at the commander as he tried to crawl away, the explosive force send him sprawling again. "I made sure that they'd never do it again."

"You…" the man growled as Mataras advanced on him again, and his men began to retreat. "You'll pay for this… The Army will- Argh!" Again, he went flying down the street. Even though he wasn't losing health points, the sense of being knocked down over and over again wasn't a pleasant one.

"The Army can go on dung heap where it belongs," Mataras retorted as he advance on them all again. "I'm the Red Swordsman, Mataras of the Moonlit Black Cats from the Assault Team- and you are all about to be introduced to a new world of fear."

"Uh-oh," Sachi said as she winced.

"What's wrong, Sachi?" Asuna asked her guild mate.

"Nothing major- I just think big Brother might take a little while longer to finish this up than if you or Kirito had taken care of this." Sachi tried to smile, but it came out as a pathetic attempt.

"Whaddya mean?" Kirito asked. In response, Sachi pointed at the Army, who were now in full retreat. Before Kirito could ask what he was supposed to look for, Mataras leapt high over the group and landed in front of them, cutting off their escape. "Oh," Kirito grimaced as his teammate begon knocking them all over like bowling pins, almost too fast for the eye to follow.

"Well, Yui, looks like we might be here for a while," Asuna grinned at the girl. "But hey, your uncle is one tough cookie, isn't he? Uh… Yui?" The last part was drawn out of Yui as the little girl reached up to the sky.

"Everybody's hearts are…" she seemed to whisper. "Everybody's hearts…" Her eyes widened briefly before she shut them tight and she seemed to try and shrink into a little ball on Kirito's back, much to the Cats' concern. Before they could ask what was happening, she squeaked out, "I was never here… in this place… I was always alone… in the dark…" She gasped as if in pain and then screamed to the heavens as she flailed on Kirito's back. The sound of her cry seemed to warp the very world in which they stood, riddling the air with the high-pitched whine of static.

The children standing near the teenagers cringed and covered their ears. The teacher that had been watching the whole thing in shock ran over tried her best to comfort her charges amidst the terrible noise. Sachi and Asuna covered their own ears in an attempt to shut out the painful sound.

Mataras seemed to be the only one that wasn't pained by the sound, though it definitely caught his attention. Instead he simply cocked his head and looked up at the sky as the world around him seemed to vibrate and shudder ever so slightly. He ignored the Army men that he had just been pummeling a moment ago as they escaped and fixed his gaze on Yui, who began to fall off of Kirito's back.

"Asuna!" he bellowed, snapping the girl out of her trance. She quickly caught the child up before she hit the ground, cradling her in her arms. The Red Swordsman dashed over, his gaze fixed with concern.

"What's happening to her?" he asked as the girl looked up at Asuna, bleary-eyed.

"Mommy…" she cried softly. "I'm scared…" And she passed out.

"Yui…" Kirito said in shock. "My God…"

As the others tried to rouse the little girl, Mataras stood back a little bit. One thought ran through his head: _Yui, who _are_ you?_

* * *

**Okay, I dunno if you noticed or not, but I had put up a poll about a week ago where you guys would get to vote if Mataras would end up with Leafa or Sinon. Well... It was neck and neck there, and now it's in a tie. So... What to do? I decided to go with Sinon for now, but I also decided that snce it was a tie, I'm going to do something just for you guys, since it literally closed in a tie.**

**The Red Swordsman will continue on as a single story. But when I'm done writing it, I will go back to the point where the Aincrad arc concludes and write an alternate timeline where Mataras and Sinon never meet, GGO will not happen, and Mataras x Leafa/Suguha will be a ship. It will likely be called the Fairy of Aincrad, though I will let you know when I get to the end of this story. I hope this flies well with both sides of the vote!**

**As always, please leave a review and/or message me!**

**P.S. Check out my friend moshe30350redstar and his story Phantom Knight if you like Danny Phantom and/or W.I.T.C.H.**


	13. The Daughter

**A/N: Well, writing this chapter nearly left me in tears... I have the feeling that it will do the same for some of you. Also, this is now the new longest chapter I have ever written, and I hope you guys enjoy it!**

**DragonofAnnoth, it's still freaking me out how closely you guessed that one bit!**

* * *

The Daughter

"Is this place always so busy?" Mataras asked, a little on edge as he looked around at the noisy room. They were in a cathedral on floor one, where twenty or thirty kids were attacking their lunches happily. The Cats, Yui, and another person were in a corner table, where Mataras felt the most comfortable. Sachi had been afraid that when they walked in, Mataras was going to turn right around and go home. However, the only thing he did was head over to the corner without a word, his jaw set and eyes darting all around.

"Yes, sad to say," said Sasha, the lady that the Moonlit Black Cats had rescued the previous day. "I actually used to be a front-liner myself, up to about floor twenty. But since I lived down here, I just found it harder and harder to leave each day as I saw how distraught the kids were. So, I decided to rent out this church and turn it into an orphanage of sorts."

"That's so awful," Asuna said looking around. "At least they seem to be okay now."

"Yeah, it was pretty hard for a lot of them, especially since all of these kids are the ones that logged in without their parents," Sasha said sadly. "But we manage to get by well enough, and they're safe here. And speaking of safe…" She looked down at Yui, who was munching absentmindedly on a roll while she looked intently at Mataras, who tried ignore the stare. "How is Yui doing?"

Before any of them could answer, the girl in question leaped out of her chair with surprising nimbleness, throwing her arms around his neck and hold on as he all but fell out of his chair. "Yui?!" he cried. "What are you doing?! Let go!" Though he could have easily tossed her off with his strength stat, he couldn't bring himself to harm her in any way. He may have been afraid of children, but that didn't mean that he'd attack them, either.

"Not until you smile!" she giggled.

"_What_?!" He shot his teammates a look that begged for help, but the only thing he received was a loud round of laughter from the Cats as he tried to find a way to get Yui off of him without hurting her. Some of the other children looked over to see what was going on, and they began to laugh as well, much the embarrassment of the Red Swordsman, who was turning nearly the same shade of red as his famed Dragon Hide Jacket.

"Yui, you are setting a bad example for the other kids!" he protested. "Please, get off of me!" He was leaning halfway out of his chair with Yui refusing to budge thus far.

"Not until you smile!" she grinned mischievously.

"Not happening," he muttered. "Come on, let go." Looking over at Kirito, who was still laughing, he said, "Brother, unless you want me to give out your new home address to info brokers, I suggest you get her off of me this instant."

"Oh come on," Kirito grinned. "Not even you would- No, forget it, he probably would." Moving over, he picked up Yui and put her back in her seat as he said, "Maybe some other time, Yui. He might take a while, but you'll see him smile eventually."

"Humph," Mataras scowled as he straightened his shirt and resumed eating his breakfast.

Yui looked up at Sachi, a little puzzled. "Did I make him mad, Auntie?"

"No, sweetheart, he's just always grouchy," Sachi grinned at her brother, who ignored her entirely. "Your Daddy's right, he just needs some time." Mataras muttered something under his breath, but declined to repeat himself when Asuna asked him to speak up.

Kirito turned to Sasha with a smile and said, "Well, she seems fine to me. But have you seen her around before? We came down here looking for her parent or guardian after we found her wandering in the forest of floor twenty-two. She's lost her memory, so she can't tell us what happened to her."

Sasha shook her head in a negative gesture. "No, I haven't seen her before, not ever," she answered. "I go wandering the streets every day looking for any kids that might need my help, but I've never see her. In fact, it's been a few months since I found anybody new- I think that these might be all the kids under the age of twelve in SAO."

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a loud knock at the door. Mataras' eyes narrowed as he approached the door with his sword in hand. Sasha came up behind him as the kids all went quiet. When he opened the door, there was a woman with long silver hair standing outside, dressed in the casual Army uniform.

"What do you want?" Mataras growled as he recognized the uniform and guild symbol displayed above her health points bar. "If you're here about your bully boys from yesterday, I suggest you get lost. These people have it hard enough as it is without your stupid lackey's running around, playing-"

"Actually, I came to thank you for what you did yesterday," the woman said, surprising Mataras and silencing him instantly. "You did the right thing by putting those men in their place. My name is Yuriel, and I'm actually the Vice Commander of the Aincrad Liberation Army."

"Uh… What?" Mataras said.

"You're Mataras of the Moonlit Black Cats, right?" the woman asked. "Is your guild leader here with you? I need to talk to him about something very important."

Mataras looked back into the room, where Kirito met his gaze form the table. "One of the heads of the Army wants to talk to you," he said. "She says it's important, and she's not armed for trouble."

Kirito nodded, all business. "Let her in," he said. "Unless you have any objections, Miss Sasha?" When the teacher stated that it was fine, Mataras sheathed his sword and stepped aside to admit Yuriel.

* * *

They met in a back room where Litrosh had been napping. He seemed disgruntled that a group of people had come in to ruin his slumber, but he quickly settled on top of Mataras' head, whereupon Yui looked up at the little lizard with a mischievous smile on her face again.

Seeing the look, Mataras paled and said, "Yui, don't even think about it."

"Aw…" she pouted as she sat down.

Sachi looked at her brother and said, "I thought you were making progress- and if you say 'baby steps' again, I'll slap you." Mataras' jaw snapped shut, much to the amusement of Kirito and Asuna.

"They already act like an old married couple," Kirito grinned, right before Mataras punched him in the face. He winced, got up, and rubbed his cheek, saying, "Okay, I deserved that."

"And next time, I'm using Guilty Thorn," Mataras snapped. Yui laughed at the sight, much to the chagrin of her surrogate parents. As he sat down, he turned to Yuriel and said, "Alright, spill it. Why did you call us back to talk in private?"

Yuriel sat down and turned to Kirito. "Are you all familiar with the original goal of the Army?" she asked.

"Yeah, you guys wanted to be able to spread resources or something like that, right?" Kirito said with his hand on his chin.

"Yes, that's correct," Yuriel nodded. "The army's founder is man named Thinker. At first the goal was easy to achieve, but then…"

"The guild got too large, huh?" Sachi guessed, to which Yuriel nodded.

"Thinker never wanted the guild to become the dictatorial society it's become," she said. "He's a kind-hearted man. But unfortunately, a number of players weren't satisfied with just sharing everything- they wanted to keep some of the goods for themselves. And after much infighting, one man in particular became very powerful. His name is Kibaou."

Asuna, Kirito, and Mataras' minds flashed back to the first boss raid, where the man in question had tried to get the beta testers to take the fall for the deaths of the two thousand plus players. He had also tied to get them to cough up their spoils, but Agil had stopped him before he could get carried away. It seemed as though he wasn't done stirring up trouble.

"Not that punk again," Mataras scowled.

"You know him?" Yuriel asked, surprised.

"Yeah, something like that," Asuna nodded. "So what did he do to cause so much trouble for you guys?"

"He began monopolizing all the best monster spawn points for himself and his faction- it was getting pretty clear that he didn't really care about clearing the game," Yuriel answered. "But when some people started to question his motives recently, he sent his best squad on a boss raid to prove his commitment to the cause."

"Corvatz," Sachi said softly.

"Yes, that's correct," Yuriel said. "And as I understand it, your guild, along with the Furin Kazan saved most of their lives. So again, thank you."

"We only did what any decent human should," Asuna said with a soft smile. "Besides, it was all really Kirito and Mataras."

"And that's why I came here today," Yuriel said. "When the raid turned into a fiasco, Kibaou lost a number of his supporters. Scared and desperate to maintain his power, he lured Thinker into a trap, hoping to get him killed so that he could take over, I think."

"Wait, what kind of trap?" Kirito asked while Mataras glowered at the thought of the spike-haired insurrectionist.

"He sent Thinker a teleport crystal with locked coordinates," Yuriel replied. "The crystal was supposed to take him to a neutral area where they could talk privately, unarmed. Unfortunately, Thinker was too trusting and went in without any weapons. Now he's been trapped inside that dungeon for three days, and he hasn't moved the whole time. He's alive, but I think he's stuck in a safe zone."

"And you want us to help you rescue him?" Mataras said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Yuriel replied. "I know that this should be my responsibility as Vice-Commander, but Kibaou keeps pulling strings to keep people from helping me go to Thinker's rescue." Tears pooled in her eyes as she continued, "I know I'm asking a lot of you, and we just met, but… The thought of Thinker being trapped in there… It's driving me insane!"

She stood up in front of the Cats, eyes watering heavily. "When I heard that one of the most powerful guilds in Aincrad was in town, I thought 'This is my chance!' Please, I need your help to rescue Thinker!" And she sat back down, crying.

"This is a lot to go on just by word of mouth…" Asuna said. "Don't get me wrong, we'd love to help, but is there any way for you to prove what you're saying is true?"

"Don't worry, Mommy," Yui said with a gentle smile. "She's telling the truth."

"How can you tell?" Asuna asked, surprised at the child's forthrightness.

"I dunno," Yui chirped. "I can just tell."

"I'm with the kid," Mataras smiled wolfishly as he cracked his knuckles. "This lady seems pretty genuine to me. And I'd like the chance to throw down with Kibaou- us beaters owe him a beating."

"You agree with her?!" Kirito said in surprise.

"Hey, just because little people scare me doesn't mean I can't agree with them when they have a good idea," Mataras retorted.

"Hmm…" Kirito thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled at his wife and said, "Let's do it. I'd rather trust her and regret it than not trust her and regret it." Asuna smiled and nodded her approval.

"Th… Thank you," Yuriel said with a deep bow. "This means so much to me."

"Before we get going though…" Mataras said as he looked at Kirito. "We need to decide who will be taking which assignment."

"What do you mean?" Sachi asked.

"We need to decide who's gonna go into the dungeon to rescue Thinker, and who's gonna go get Kibaou for arrest," Kirito replied, Mataras nodding in confirmation. "We could go do each job all together, but then we run the risk of Kibaou just disappearing off the map altogether. We need to catch him off-guard."

"I personally don't care how we do this, as long as I'm the one that gets to throw him in the prison," Mataras smirked.

"Sometimes I wonder if he _likes_ getting to beat people up in here…" Sachi muttered.

"What?" Mataras objected. "It's not like they can't use a potion or anything. And I only beat up people that deserve it."

"Um…" Yuriel tried to interject. "Can we get back to planning?"

"Shh," Mataras said with a raised finger. "The grown-ups are talking."

"Mataras!" Asuna cried in embarrassment. Turning to a stunned Yuriel, she said, "Please excuse him, ma'am. He's just got a few screws loose…"

"Would you like to tell me something I don't know?" Mataras said dryly.

"Shut up!" the others yelled at him. Yuriel was wide-eyed. Litrosh issued a warning growl to let everyone know that he wanted to go back to sleep. Yui just laughed.

* * *

It was eventually decided that they would do the jobs one at a time, with rescuing Thinker being the top priority. If Kibaou got, away, it would be too bad, but the look in Mataras' eyes told Yuriel that the chances of that were slim. He was the Red Swordsman, after all. Hunting down criminal players was his specialty.

Despite everyone's protests when they tried to leave, Yui had insisted on coming down with them into the dungeon. Kirito and Asuna were suckers for the little girl, Mataras had thought when they gave in on the condition that she stay back with Asuna while the other Cats handled the fighting.

When they inquired which floor they would be heading up to, Yuriel had replied, "The dungeon is actually beneath the prison, here on floor one. Thinker is deep inside it."

"Wait, there's a dungeon under the Town of Beginnings?" Kirito had asked, surprised. "Whoa. That wasn't in the beta, and it wasn't mentioned in the official manual or website at all."

"Yes, and it seems that the more the floors above are cleared, the wider the dungeon gets down there," Yuriel said as she began walking down the dark stairs, leading into a very tomb-like dungeon that gave Asuna the creeps.

Kirito had equipped his dual-wielding for the dungeon that they entered, and Mataras had his Dragon Blood activated. Sachi also had her Pure Heart in the passive skills slot in case any of the mobs could use poison-type attacks. The monsters they encountered were mostly large frog-like monsters and while they weren't particularly difficult for the pair, but there was a great number of them.

Yuriel watched with surprise as the Moonlit Black Cats went to work with their swords, making short work of a swarm that numbered in the forties. "Maybe I should help them…" she said uncertainly. Yui was giggling as she watched, Litrosh perched on top of her head. Mataras had given the little dragon strict orders to protect Yui.

"Nah, let 'em have it," Asuna chuckled. "Kirito and Mataras both love getting in on a good battle. Let them have their fun." No sooner had she said so than did the three of them return, Kirito grinning happily while Mataras scanned through his inventory. Sachi smiled at Yui, who clapped her hands in delight at the sight of the three victors.

"Man oh man, that was fun," Kirito laughed.

"Did you get any drops?" Asuna asked her husband.

"Uh huh!" the teenager grinned wider. He opened his menu and pulled out a massive leg of raw frog meat. "Think you can cook this up?" he asked as he put it close to her face.

"Not on your life!" she shrieked, slapping the meat out of his hand and sending it flying down the stony hallway, where it hit the floor and shattered.

"Aw…" the Black Swordsman whined. Then he scowled and opened his menu again. "Okay then, what am I supposed to do with these?!" And he suddenly had an armful of fourteen frog legs.

"Get those away from me!" Asuna shrieked.

"Come on!" Kirito protested. "The weirder it looks, the better it tastes!"

"No!"

"Just put some soy sauce on it!"

"I'm not wasting my sauce on that stuff!"

"How would that be a waste?!"

As the two bickered back and forth, Sachi smiled at them while Mataras simply planted his face in his palm. Yuriel was so overwhelmed by the bizarre behavior of the guild that she finally started laughing at the absurdity of the whole situation.

"Hey!" Yui exclaimed excitedly, catching everyone's attention immediately. Mataras peeked through his fingers at the girl. Kirito looked over at her with Asuna's hand in the middle of shoving one of the frog legs in his mouth. She was smiling happily at Yuriel, who looked very confused now.

"That's the first time I've ever seen you smile!" Yui said. "You have a nice smile! You should smile more often!" And what else could Yuriel do but smile at the little girl?

Yui looked over at Mataras, whose face was neutral. However, Yui could see the shine in his eyes and she said, "I think a smile makes people look a lot better, don't you, Uncle?"

"Depends on the person wearing the smile," he said as he turned around to resume the journey. But Sachi clearly saw the small grin playing across his lips as he walked deeper into the catacomb-like dungeon.

* * *

It took them a few hours to make it near to where Yuriel's map indicated Thinker's location. They had been moving in peace for about ten minutes when Yuriel decided to re-check the map. "Thinker hasn't moved from here in a couple of days," Yuriel said. "Which is why I believe he managed to find a safe zone to hide in."

"Hmm…" Mataras mused as he peered at the map. "He should be down at the end of this corridor then…" He paused in thought as the others walked ahead. Sachi turned to look back at him as he suddenly frowned.

"Is everything okay, Brother?" she asked.

"Sachi," he said quietly. "Where did all the monsters go?"

"Hunh?" she asked with her head cocked.

Looking back behind him, Mataras' frown deepened. "If this place is so hard, how come there aren't any of the mobs that we should be seeing down here?"

"Maybe this whole corridor is a safe zone?" Sachi guessed, but Mataras shook his head as he began moving again.

"If that were the case, we would have noticed a ripple effect in the air," he said, thoughts still racing. "The only times we've seen a dungeon floor get clear like this…"

"Is right before a boss lair," Sachi finished for him with a slight frown. "Wait…" Struck by the same thought, they charged at a full sprint, even as the people ahead of them began to jog forward.

"Stop!" Mataras called out.

"We think there's a-" Her voice caught in her throat as she saw Kirito suddenly accelerate to tackle Yuriel to the ground. He was just in time to help her avoid being cleaved in half by a massive scythe. Mataras and Sachi redoubled their speed, catching up to the others just in time for the wielder of the scythe to fully reveal itself, even as the room around them began to change colors, indicating the appearance of a boss.

It was easily twenty meters in height, floating above the ground like a phantom. Its face was that of a skull, with glowing red eyes shining out of the empty sockets. The name above it read 'The Fatal Scythe'. To Mataras' horror, he couldn't even see its health bars, meaning that it was above his mob analyzer skill's ability to detect. It was as though the Grim Reaper himself had manifested in the game.

"This thing belongs on floor ninety or higher!" he shouted at the others. Looking past the boss, he could see a man in an army uniform like Yuriel's- Thinker, he assumed. Looking back at Kirito and Asuna, he shouted, "Get them out of here! Sachi and I can hold it off long enough for you to get away!"

"We're not leaving you!" Kirito shouted back. Getting to his feet, he said to Yuriel, "Take Yui into the safe zone while we handle this. Teleport out of here, and we'll join you soon." Yuriel did as she was told immediately, as the Moonlit Black Cats assembled before the boss, which seemed to have been waiting for them to gather.

It whirled the massive scythe into position as Kirito called out, "Alright, Asuna and I will block while you two try and get in some hits!" Then it struck, and the four teenagers were scattered like leaves in the wind.

Asuna, Kirito, and Sachi were thrown back the way that they had come while Mataras landed near the entrance to the safe zone. His sword was tossed several yards away, and he rolled to his haunches painfully. Looking up at his health bar, he saw that the scythe's single blow had drained almost half his health. Kirito was a little better off than him, but not by much. And Asuna was already in the yellow zone. Sachi had the highest defense stat, but she was still down by about a quarter of health.

_We can't survive a fight against this thing_, he thought grimly. Then, he saw someone come up behind him and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Yui?" he growled. "Get back inside and get out of here!"

"Don't worry, Uncle," she said with a small smile. "It'll be okay. Take this." And in her hand appeared a massive blade of fire, causing Mataras' eyes to widen.

"Is that thing going to burn me?" he asked.

"Just use it on the boss," she said in response, unmoving. "Unless you want Litrosh to fight the boss all on his own." Before Mataras could ask what she meant, a mighty roar shook the tunnels, setting everyone's ears ringing. A moment later, a massive orange-and-red dragon smashed into the boss shoulder first, scoring a solid hit on the deadly monster.

Mataras' jaw dropped as he repeated, "Litrosh?!" Turning to Yui, he asked, "What did you do to him?"

"I will explain everything soon, Mataras," she said solemnly. "But your friends will die if we don't act now. Please, take this and use it to defeat the boss. One hit will do it."

"All right," he said as he took the flaming sword. "I'll trust you, but I hope you have some answers ready, because I have many questions." With that, he leaped up high to strike at the boss.

The scythe slapped the now-massive Litrosh to the floor, stunning him. But before it could land a fatal blow, Mataras let out a mighty roar of his own and brought the flaming sword down on the back of the boss.

From where Kirito and the others lay, they could have sworn that they saw fear in the eyes of the boss at flames began to swirl around it, burning at the edges of its cloak and weapons. Then the flames began to constrict its victim, burning away more and more of the deadly monster until finally, it disappeared in a shower of sparks to reveal Mataras standing there, empty-handed.

"What…?" Kirito asked as he got to his feet and helped his wife up as well. Mataras moved over to help Sachi, who gratefully accepted his hand in helping her up. "Mataras, what just happened?" Kirito rubbed his aching head.

Litrosh lumbered to his feet and moved to stand next to his master, who rubbed his nose with the palm of his hand. The dragon hummed in contentment, a deep, vibrant sound. In response to his friend's question, he said, "I don't really know." He turned to face Yui, who looked very solemn indeed. "But I think that Yui might able to tell us."

* * *

The five of them were in the safe zone that Thinker had taken refuge in for two days. Litrosh was waiting just outside, since he could no longer fit inside the small room. Yui was sitting on the only decoration, a black rectangle without markings of any kind. The girl had somehow changed back into the white dress that Asuna and Kirito had first found her in while they had been fighting the monster. She had said nothing for several moments, and Asuna couldn't take it anymore.

"Yui, please, say something," she begged.

Yui looked up at the family sadly and said, "Kirito, Asuna." The two of them gave out little starts of surprise as she pronounced their name perfectly, without any hesitation. Turning her sad gaze to the other two, she said, "Sachi… Mataras… everything in the world of Sword Art Online is run by a single, massive program called Cardinal. It controls everything in this world from monster spawns to col and item drops. And it was designed to do so without any human assistance. Not even the Game Master needs to tell it what to do, though I imagine he could if he needed to.

"Since the system was designed to run entirely by itself, it was also designed to care for the world it controls- including the mental welfare of the players in Aincrad." Her gaze returned to Kirito and Asuna as she said in a flat, soft voice, "Mental Healthcare Program Prototype One. Codename: Yui. That is who I am." The couple and their friends each reacted with shock, but it was Asuna that was able to speak first.

"You're… an AI?"

"Yes," Yui whispered, the tears flowing down her face. "I was designed to emulate complex human emotions in order to understand humans and help put them at ease with me. Nothing about me is real- not even my tears. I'm so sorry, Asuna…" She began to sob harder.

"But…" Mataras was still confused. "How did you lose your memory? Did the Game Master do that to you? I mean, an AI and other programs can't lose their memory unless someone deletes it, right?"

In response, Yui wiped her face and said, "On the day of the launch, and for reasons I never understood, I was forbidden by the Cardinal program from interacting with any of the players. I could only watch and monitor their mental states. Their situation, in a word, was horrible." She shut her eyes as she recalled how she had been helpless to prevent the thousands of people from leaping to their deaths. "Error upon error began building up inside of me… and I eventually fell apart.

"But then, one day, I noticed four players whose psyche was far different than those around them. I watched as one overcame his nightmares by helping those around him, one conquered her fears by trusting her comrades, and the other two found meaning and life in this game through their love for one another." She looked up at the Moonlit Black Cats, who could only stare at her, open-mouthed in return. "Each one was so different from one another, and yet they were each able to find happiness and peace wherever they went with one another, even after things seemed horrible.

"I wandered through the forest, hoping to get as close to you as I could," she sniffed, the tears beginning anew. "I've wanted to meet with each of you for the longest time…"

The Cats each looked at one another, many emotions warring through their hearts. Finally, it was Mataras that managed to speak first. He stepped forward and knelt before the little girl so that he could look her in the eyes and said, "Well, I for one, don't care if you're a program. You're Asuna and Kirito's daughter, not just some program that Cardinal can control."

"He's right, Yui," Kirito said as the others moved forward with him. "You're a part of our family. And something that Mataras has taught me while we've been in here is that you look out for your family. If you want something, all you have to do is ask for it."

"I want…" Yui mumbled, eyes downcast. Looking up, she cried as she outstretched her arms, "I want to be with you and Mommy! Daddy!" Asuna finally broke, her own tears falling as she wrapped the little girl in her arms, even as Kirito put his arms around the both of them.

"You will, Yui," Kirito said. "I promise. You'll be with us forever, as our daughter."

"Um…" Mataras said hesitantly. "I really do hate to interrupt you guys right now, but I still have another question." When they all looked at him, he asked, "How did you make Litrosh grow like that? And where did that fire sword come from?"

"I did both of those things," Yui said as she pointed to the black box. As if in response, the cube glowed with blue lines as a keyboard appeared. "This is actually an emergency access console for the GM. I used my admin privileges to create an object capable of deleting the boss. I also used it to alter Litrosh's data to age him two years. In this game, if a familiar's dragon can survive for three years, it will grow to its full size on the day of its generation."

"Wait, but wouldn't the Cardinal notice something happening?" Sachi asked with a frown.

"It likely would have found me out is I had deleted the monster myself, but since Mataras was close by, I gave him the item instead," Yui replied. "As far as the system is concerned, both instances were malfunctions. It will likely patch itself over to ensure that neither cases will repeat themselves, but I should be safe for now."

"What do you mean 'for now?" Asuna asked in alarm.

"When Sword Art Online's final boss is defeated, the game is set to self-destruct while the players are forcibly logged out," Yui answered. "And since I'm a program…" She didn't finish. There was no need to.

"Well, it's a good thing that we have two computer genius' here," Mataras said with a smirk. "I think that they can help you."

"What are you talking about, Mataras?" Sachi asked.

"If Yui can get you into this console, can one of you two move her core program to one of our NerveGears?"

The others looked at him, wide-eyed without a word for several seconds. Then a slow smile lit up Kirito's face. "Yui, would you mind telling your dad the password? I've got a few things I need to do."

* * *

"I still think you went over the top with Kibaou," Asuna grumbled as the guild was on its way home. They had just completed the second part of their job, and now thinker was back in command of the Army, though he said he was thinking about disbanding them and trying to start again from scratch.

"Really?" Mataras said with a raised eyebrow. "What part of that was out of character for me?"

Asuna tried to come up with a comeback, but then realized that he was right. "Fair enough," she conceded.

"What did Uncle Mataras do, Mommy?" asked a little girl with black hair as she watched a massive red dragon flying near the 'sky'.

"Let's just say that Kibaou was forced to learn sword-swallowing really fast," Kirito said with a shudder.

"Uncle, you're a very strange man," Yui sighed heavily.

"Well, get used to it," Mataras replied easily. "You're part of our guild now, so you'll just have to deal with any and all shenanigans we some up with."

"Speaking of which…" Asuna said. "What exactly did you two do back there in the dungeon? I'm still a little lost."

"To sum it up, we managed to use the GM's account to change Yui's status from an immortal object- an AI- to get the Cardinal to recognize her as a player," Sachi grinned. "She's still being saved in Kirito's NerveGear so that when the game ends, she'll be okay. But I'll tell you that it was quite a pain to figure out. Nice work there, Kirito."

"Thanks, but I never would have thought of doing what you did," the boy chuckled back. "I mean, now everyone on the Black Cats has a unique skill- maybe Heathcliff will want to join _us_ now." He recalled how Sachi had, after securing Yui's file, begun rummaging through some of the other controls that the console offered. Unfortunately, it didn't offer a logout option, but what it did do was grant the GM access to all the sword skills in Aincrad.

Using this feature, they had managed to grant Asuna the skill called 'Sonic Blade', which maximized her speed and raised her attack, a skill similar to the Divine Blade that Heathcliff used. To Yui, they gave a skill called 'Divine Eye', which essentially allowed the user to instantly see weak points in their enemy's armor and defenses.

While the others had worked at the console, Mataras had been disturbed by a number of thoughts. _If Akihiko Kayaba is the one that somehow grants people unique skills instead of the system, how does he decide who to give them to? Or does he simply have the option to do so, and Cardinal really is the one that chooses who gets these skills? If that's the case, will he even notice if Asuna and Yui have these abilities?_

"I doubt it," Mataras said to Kirito as he forced himself to come back to the present. He would have to ponder the mystery later.

Then he looked down at Yui, who was smiling expectantly at him. "Okay, you earned it," he said as he broke into a genuine smile and picked her up, setting her on his shoulders. "Welcome to the family, Yui."

* * *

**Oh wait, did I mention that they were tears of happiness? Haha, YUI LIVES!**

**I thought that I was pretty clever in how I did that- I hope that you guys agree with me, and if you don't, well... YUI LIVES! HAHAHAHAHA!**

**Anyways, next time: Floor 75.**


	14. At the Gates of Hell

**A/N: All right, get ready, because this is the second-to-last chapter for this arc, and I'm releasing the second part here in a few minutes! I am so stoked to hear what you guys think of the end of the Aincrad saga! Be sure to leave a review when you're done reading- and thanks for helping us hit 100 reviews yesterday!**

* * *

At the Gates of Hell

A week had passed after they had rescued Yui when it happened. The little girl spent a couple of nights with Kirito and Asuna, but she usually spent the night with Sachi in the apartment while Mataras slept on the couch. Whenever she asked why, Mataras would tell her than her parents stayed up later than she did, and she wouldn't be able to sleep if they were still up. Of course he didn't mention _why_ they would be up that late.

But one of the mornings when Yui had spent the night with her parents, Mataras woke up to a message from Kirito. It said, 'Fishing tournament-type event happening in an hour? Wanna come and watch?' After checking with Sachi, the pair decided to go down- they had nothing better to do anyways.

* * *

When they made it to the lake near to the house, the pair was surprised to see a crowd gathered around the lake. "All of this for a fishing tournament?" Mataras mumbled as he looked around. "Seems like a bit much it you ask me."

"Uncle!" a young voice called out from near the lakeshore. "Auntie!" The brother and sister smiled as they approached Yui, who was holding onto Asuna's hand. The two of them were surprised to see that her face and hair were hidden by a makeshift shawl, but Mataras could guess as to why.

"Worried about all of your fans?" he whispered as he hugged the girl in greeting.

"Shut up," she hissed, but she couldn't keep from smiling. Mataras then bent down to pick Yui up and set her on his slim shoulders. In real life, he would never have tried this, but with his massive strength stat, carrying her was no problem.

"So, what's going on here?" Sachi asked as she looked at the dock to see Kirito and an older gentleman carrying a fishing pole three times his size step up to the edge.

"Oh, Kirito is going to help Mister Nishida catch a fish," Asuna grinned.

"One fish?" Mataras asked with a sidelong glance and a raised eyebrow.

"It's supposed to be monster-sized, according to the guy down there," Asuna shrugged. "Oh, look!" She pointed as the fisherman cast his line, the rod glowing as he activated the skill required to cast such a massive rod. The crowd instantly quieted.

Mataras looked around, bored. "Seriously?" he said in a quiet, bored tone. "I came down for this?"

"Shh!" Yui reached down and clamped her small hand on her uncle's mouth. "you'll scare of the fish!" she whisper-shouted.

Before Mataras could come up with a muffled response, there was action down on the pier. Nishida shouted something at Kirito and handed the rod to him. Kirito looked down at it for a second, perplexed, and Mataras didn't blame him. _Were they trying to pull a switch with a fishing pole?_

He got his answer when Kirito was yanked forward, the rod bending down, hard. The boy in black gritted his teeth and let out his war cry, heaving with all his might. Then, to the surprise of everyone there, he actually began to drag the pole back up, and presumably, the fish along with it.

"How big did you say that thing was supposed to be?" Mataras asked with a slight frown.

"I dunno," Asuna laughed. "No one's ever- whoa!" The other Cats saw the same thing as her, and they decided to do what everyone else did- make a beeline away from the lake entirely.

Only when they turned around did they see that Kirito was wrestling with the line. Before anyone could call out to him, the line snapped. Those that were hoping that he would see what they had and run for it were disappointed. To their shock, he actually began yelling at the lake.

"Kirito!" Asuna called out. "Get away from the water!"

"Why?!" he called back, just as the water behind him exploded, drenching him with lake water, and causing him to land on his back. In doing so, he was forced to look up in fear at the massive orange-and-blue fish that stared down at him.

It was easily five meters tall, armed with jagged teeth, and equipped with six legs that it stood on as it roared at the Black Swordsman. _Now_ he came running, only stopping once he was behind Asuna. "You left me there to die!" he accused his teammates.

"Sorry…" Asuna grinned sheepishly while Yui giggled, highly entertained.

"Kirito, this is serious!" Nishida cried. "That thing is gonna eat us! We gotta do something!"

"Yeah, I'm working on that…" Kirito muttered as he looked at the approaching monster.

Mataras sighed in exasperation before handing Yui to Kirito. "Here," he said as he cracked his knuckles. "Sachi and I got this."

"But you don't have your sword, Mataras!" Asuna cried with worry.

"Sachi has one," he said nonchalantly. "It's just too bad I didn't bring Litrosh- then he could have a proper breakfast." Then he leaped up high even as Sachi drew her straight sword. He came down with axe kick that had a shocking amount of force behind it. The air literally resounded with a shockwave as the blow connected, forcing the massive fish to buckle to the ground, its legs stretched out awkwardly underneath it.

As he used the recoil momentum generated by the fish's resilient flesh to perform a backflip, Sachi made her move. Blade glowing purple, she unleashed a single, high-powered thrust and depleted the last of the monster's health, causing it to disappear in a shower of polygons.

"Nicely done, Sister," Mataras grinned as Sachi sheathed her sword with a satisfied smile.

"Not too bad yourself," she replied. "But the summersault was overdoing it."

"Really?" Mataras feigned surprised. "I thought it was completely appropriate in the moment. And you saw how well it worked."

Before Sachi could make a reply, they were swarmed by a small crowd of fans, each calling out. "You guys are from the Moonlit Black Cats, right?" one man called out.

"You're Sachi, right? You're pretty!"

"Can I have an autograph?!"

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

When they started to get too close for comfort, Mataras took Sachi's sword from her sheathe and whirled it into position. "Back off from my sister!" he shouted. They did so, immediately aware of who he was, even without his trademark red jacket and Guilty Thorn blade in his hand. "That's better," he grinned.

When they were able to rejoin the others, Yui was gushing with praise at how well they had handled the monster, and Asuna was smiling in congratulations. However, when Kirito approached them, his brow was knitted together. "We've got a problem," he said quietly.

When they had gathered in Kirito and Asuna's house, the Black Swordsman finally spoke again. "I got a message from Klein," he began. "It's time for the next boss raid."

"Already?" Mataras was surprised. "That was fast."

"Well, you two can sit this one out," Sachi said with a smile. "I'm sure we can handle it."

"That's the thing," Kirito said with a shake of his head. "Klein said that half of the recon team was wiped out."

"What?!" Asuna gasped, clutching onto Yui tightly, who looked very worried at this point. "How did that happen?"

"I don't know all the details," Kirito answered heavily. "But he's asking that we help out on this raid. If ten people were killed, I think that we should at least hear him out. I owe him that much, at least." The last part was more to himself than anything, but the others agreed. Klein was a good man, despite his eccentrics, especially concerning girls.

"All right," Asuna nodded. "Let's get geared up, just in case."

"I'm coming, too!" Yui grinned. "I've got my own unique skill, and Auntie Sachi was able to set me at level ninety-six, so I'm just as strong as Mommy!"

Kirito shot Sachi a look that read 'Great, now how are we supposed to keep her from coming along?' Before either of them could trade words, Yui spoke again. "Daddy, I know what I'm getting myself into. I know that every twenty-five floors, the boss is extra-hard. But I have strength here, same as you and Mommy. I want to protect you, just like I know you want to protect me."

"But if something were to happen to you…" Kirito started.

"My avatar would be deleted, but my core program would be saved as a game object in your inventory," Yui said. "That's how my settings are now. So even if I do die here, it won't be forever. I know that you'd find a way to bring me back once you get back to the real world." Her eyes shone as she smiled encouragingly at Kirito.

He groaned aloud and finally said, "All right, you can come, but you'd better do as your mommy and I tell you, got it?"

"Aye aye!" she giggled with a fake salute.

_Still_… Mataras thought as he moved to equip himself. _Ten players from the recon team? Those wouldn't have been your average players, even by guild standards… I don't like how this might go._

* * *

"They were cut off?!" Asuna gasped. "How is that even possible?" They were all assembled at Klein's apartment on floor fifty-five after having said their farewells to Nishida on floor twenty-two. Yui and Sachi were preparing lunch in the other room, but they could hear wat was going on, Mataras was sure.

"I dunno man," Klein said with a slow shake of his head. "All I know is that my guy said when the others went through, the door suddenly slammed shut on 'em. Locked tight, too. And they didn't even get to see the boss. Couldn't have been ten minutes before the door opened, and all of 'em were gone. We checked the Wall of History and everything. Those guys were toast. We're guessin' that they couldn't use their crystals in there."

"Based on the last boss we fought, and what you're telling us on this one, it's probably a safe bet to say that all boss rooms are gonna be anti-crystal zones from now on," Kirito muttered with a scowl.

"Yeah," Klein nodded heavily. "The KOB is organizing a joint raid made up of all the guilds' best players. Heathcliff said it's up to you guys of course, but I'd take it as a favor if you'd come along."

"We'll be there," Mataras said firmly.

"Yeah," Kirito said as he extended a fist to Klein. "You can count on us."

"Thanks guys," Klein grinned with relief. "I knew I could, but hey, it never hurts to be polite and ask."

* * *

Later, Klein was off to gather his guild mates, leaving the Cats to mill about his apartment. It was then that Kirito dared speak what was on his mind. "Hey, Asuna?" he said tentatively. "I want to make a request… But I don't want you getting mad at me."

"What is it?" she asked with a small smile.

"Instead of fighting the boss…" he began. "Could you and Yui please stay here?"

The smile vanished. "Why would you ask me that?" she asked quietly.

"Because… I'm scared," he admitted with a trembling voice. "I don't want anything to happen to you." Asuna approached him rapidly, and Mataras backed away from where he had been standing. In the past he might have gotten involved, but this was something that they needed to work through as husband and wife.

"So you want to go somewhere dangerous while I stay here, safe?" she asked. When Kirito didn't answer, she got in face and said, "Do you know what would happen if you didn't come back? Huh?" When he still said nothing, she all but shouted, "I'd kill myself!" Mataras' eyes widened, and he looked over at Yui. The little girl looked like she was getting ready to cry.

He made a silent jerking motion at her with his head as he switched his gaze to Sachi, who scooped her up and took her outside, whispering soothing words to the child. When he looked back at the couple, he could see Kirito's face was dumbstruck.

"I'd never forgive myself!" Asuna continued. "How could I live with the fact that I let you go somewhere dangerous without me?"

"I'm sorry," Kirito said as he clenched his eyes shut. "I guess I'm just losing my nerve… But…" He suddenly clenched Asuna's hands in his own and said, "I don't care if we never get out of this game! I just want to go back to our little house in the woods, and live as a family with you and Yui!"

"It would be nice if we could do that…" Asuna said with a pained smile. "But have you ever thought about what's happening out there? In the real world?"

"What do you mean?" Kirito asked.

Here at last, Mataras stepped in. "Remember how a few days after the announcement happened, most people went offline for a few hours? They- or rather, we- were probably being transferred to hospitals to be kept alive on machines. Which means that it doesn't matter at this point if we _want_ to clear the game or not…" His voice trailed off.

"Everybody here is on a time limit," Kirito finished in horror. "And when it runs out…"

Asuna collapsed into his arms and started sobbing. "I want… I want us… to be together forever…" she cried. "To go on real dates… and to really get married… That's why… We have… to keep fighting…"

"And we will," Kirito said, the steel back in his voice and obsidian eyes. "We'll fight until the end."

"And I'll be right there with you," Mataras swore. "And when we meet up in the real world, I'll be sure to make it known that nobody can come between the Moonlit Black Cats. You hear that?" he managed to grin. "Nobody is tearing my family apart again."

* * *

The gathering took place in the town square just outside the coliseum where the Cats had won Asuna's freedom by defeating the Knights of the Blood-Oath. Asuna was dressed up in the new uniform that Mataras had gotten made for her, and she had to agree, it complimented Kirito's outfit quite well. Yui was dressed in her white dress and armed with a white sword similar to the elucidator called the Dawn Rising. Several players raised eyebrows at the appearance of such a young player, but nobody could muster the courage ask them about it with the massive red dragon in their midst. There they met up with Agil, who greeted them warmly enough.

"Hello, Agil," Mataras said from atop his dragon, which would be joining them for the raid. Any dirty looks that they might have gotten from Asuna's old guild were instantly squelched by the sight of massive reptile. "I'm surprised to see you signed up for this raid."

"Hey man, I closed down shop to make a fortune on today's drops! You're lookin' at a player that's as philanthropic as they come," Agil chuckled. "But what in the hell'd ya feed Litrosh? And who's that li'l kid with Asuna and Kirito?"

"She's our newest member, and wouldn't you like to know," Mataras sniggered as he leaped to the ground. "And seeing as you're so philanthropic, I guess you won't mind when we take you off the drop list."

"Whoa now, let's not be too hasty!" Agil said in a panic. Before Mataras could utter another retort, Heathcliff and the rest of the KOB elite stepped through the town's portal. They regarded the Cats with the briefest of glances, but otherwise they ignored them.

Heathcliff stepped up to the edge of the gathering and held up a massive blue crystal with red bubbles within it. "Corridor, open," he commanded. A shimmering gate similar to a town gate appeared, and he stepped inside. The knights were the first to follow, with the Cats being the last to enter.

As soon as they stepped into the dungeon, Mataras could feel a chill seep into his bones, even though the cavern was reasonably warm. "Feel that?" he heard Asuna say. "There's a bad vibe in here." The others muttered their agreements, and even Litrosh let out a low rumble in his throat.

Mataras left the others to talk to Klein and Agil so that he could approach Heathcliff alone. When he stood before the tall paladin, the man's gray eyes locked onto his without a word. "Commander Heathcliff," Mataras began. "I understand that you are going to be in the forward position?"

"That's the plan," Heathcliff nodded.

"Then if it's alright with you, I'd like it if my guild could assist in the forward position," Mataras asked respectfully. "I understand that we are not the same guild, but we still need to work together."

"And your dragon?" Heathcliff asked. "Who will control it while you and the others lead the charge alongside me and my men?"

"I have that covered, don't worry," Mataras smirked. "If you don't want my help, fine, but from what we've been told, we we're going to need both raw power and smarts to survive, let alone win this round."

"Very well," Heathcliff nodded. "As you wish."

"Thank you sir," Mataras said with a respectful bow. "I hope you understand that I don't have a death wish. I just want everyone here to make it out alive." And with that, he took his leave, a small smile on his lips. _If this boss is as tough as they say, we may see just how exactly Heathcliff has managed to remain invincible this whole time._

* * *

After a few more minutes of equipment and inventory check-ups, Heathcliff called them all to attention. "The Knights and Black Cats will be at the front to attack the boss to try and knock it off balance while the rest of you try to figure out its attacks and patterns," he said. "I won't lie: this battle will be hard. But I believe that we can and will win this- for our day of liberation!" The resounding cry that echoed in the tunnels after that was deafening when Litrosh added his roar to the mix.

Hearing the speech and seeing how it affected the men around him, Mataras was reminded of Diabel, all that time ago on the first boss raid. _That was where it all began for our family_, he thought. _And I swear on my life, this will not be the end of it._

"Try not to die, guys," Kirito said to Klein and Agil.

"Same to you, buddy," Klein smirked.

"Like I said, I'm gonna make a fortune on today's drop," Agil chuckled. "Ain't no way I'm missing out on that."

Heathcliff shoved the doors open and dashed inside, his sword and shield at the ready. The Cats were right beside him and his men, with the exception of Litrosh. And Yui, who would be riding on top of him. She would use her Divine Eye on the boss to point out its weaknesses while Litrosh would blast it with fire.

They had all been expecting the boss to simply drop down on them as soon as they entered the room, but all that greeted them was the sight of a massive, empty cavern. They were atop a single flat platform. Off in the distance, similar platforms could be seen. Mataras and the others whirled around as the door shut and then disappeared. _Uh-oh._

That's when the sounds began. The sound of something _scuttling_ across stone, mixed with an angry, ominous hissing that made the back of Mataras' scalp prickle. Looking around, he muttered, "Where are you…?"

"_Up above_!" Yui screamed, right before Litrosh let out a massive roar that shook the entire chamber. In response, the boss let out a massive, dry hissing sound that was just as terrifying as its appearance. The thing looked like a gigantic centipede made entirely of bones. A skull with four jaw pieces and bright red eyes made up the face, and two massive blades that resembled straightened scythes jutted out from just underneath its neck, serving as arms. The tail it possessed was adorned with similar spikes. And the name read…

"Skull Reaper," Klein gasped. The very name resembled death, much like the Fatal Scythe boss had. Then it dropped down, still giving off that dry hiss.

"Get away from it!" Kirito roared as most of the players moved to get away. Unfortunately, some were paralyzed by fear, and failed to act in time. As soon as the boss landed, the room shook and Litrosh took flight.

The shockwave seemed to light up the room with ominous red and orange colors, even as it threw a number of players off their feet. Two of these poor souls were within the reach of the bone-scythes, and a single swipe sent them flying at the Cats. Asuna and Sachi moved to catch them, but the men shattered before they even hit the floor, causing them to gape widely at the monster before them.

"One hit…?" Kirito gasped. Mataras shared the sentiment- it just seemed so impossible for a single hit, even from a boss, to kill such high-level players.

"Man, we are so dead!" Agil said.

Then Mataras' warrior blood began to stir as he saw Heathcliff move to stand up to the monster. "Not today, we're not," he growled. Drawing Guilty Thorn with a fast motion, he charged at the boss, the others close behind._ I said we'd fight, and blast fate, we will fight!_ He shouted to himself.

One of the scythes swung at him, but he leaped forward in summersault to land on the flat of the blade, even as Kirito locked it in place with his dual swords down below. Mataras ran up the arm and stabbed the monster in the eye, causing it to his/scream angrily and jerk backwards, giving Kirito a respite. As Mataras flipped back to rejoin them, his leader gasped, "I can't do that again… It's too damn heavy."

"Then I'll block it with you," Asuna said. "We just have to time our swings together."

"Hear that?!" Mataras called. "Kirito and Asuna will deal with the scythes along with Heathcliff! The rest of you, attack it as hard and often as you can!"

"Okay!" Klein shouted back, his guild springing into action.

"Hold still baby!" Agil roared as he charged alongside two Dragon Alliance members.

Mataras looked up and nodded at Yui, who in turn ordered Litrosh to attack. The red dragon and unleashed a massive fireball that hit the boss on the head and drained a fair amount of health. "Keep that up!" he shouted to the girl. "Just don't hit us by mistake!"

"I know!" she shouted back. "If you can, hit it in the eye again! That and its underbelly are the weak spots!"

"Anything else that the Divine Eye can pick up?!" Sachi called as she moved alongside Mataras to leap onto its back.

"Yes!" Yui called. "If you manage to block its scythes without taking any damage, it receives one-point-two percent more damage for ten seconds!"

_That's not very encouraging, but we'll take what we can get, _Mataras thought as he dug his sword into the creature's massive spine and held on for dear life as it changed directions. "Stop moving, blast you!" he roared. As soon as he could move again, he ran at the thing's head, ready to take another shot at the eyes, with Sachi right behind him.

Up above, Litrosh let out another roar and prepared to unleash his fire as soon as he had the chance again.

* * *

**Since you guys have been such a great crowd, I've got the next chapter all ready for you! Let's finish this thing with a bang!**


	15. At the End

**A/N: This is it, folks! This is where Aincrad comes crashing down- although it may be in a way that you didn't expect! Please be sure to leave a review when you are done reading, because I love hearing from you all- you guys are so much fun to write for and to talk with! Without further ado, let's finish this thing!**

**P.S.I know a lot of you were hoping that I'd go past the 75th floor, but I'm sorry to say that I had something else in mind... However, if you want a story like that, I recommend reading Partners by FallenAngelCodestar. It goes all the way up to the Ruby Palace, and I had a blast reading it!**

* * *

At the End

The fight was unlike anything the Moonlit Black Cats had ever seen in all of their history on the front lines. The boss changed its patterns every time they drained its health bars, of which there were five, forcing Yui to re-examine the patterns and weaknesses it might have. And it did so again when it got into the yellow zone.

It seemed like an eternity before Mataras looked up and saw that its final health bar was down in the red zone. Heathcliff saw it too, and shouted, "Everyone! Rush it, now!" The players seemed to catch on, for they all abandoned the careful patterns that they had constructed over the last hour or so, and immediately unleashed their most powerful attacks. The monster seemed to be overwhelmed and exhausted, for it began to sag to the ground, its stomach almost touching the stone beneath it.

But the fighters of Aincrad didn't let up for even half a second. They each kept slicing, hacking, bashing, and crushing until at last, the monster let out one final dry screech, and exploded into millions of blue and green polygons.

As one, almost every one of the fighters sank to the ground, exhausted. Some were sitting, others were lying flat on the ground. Among those sitting were the Moonlit Black Cats. Yui dismounted Litrosh as soon as he landed next to Mataras and moved to embrace her parents. The Red Swordsman gave his familiar a tired smile and said, "Well done, Litrosh. Well fought."

"How many did we lose?" Sachi's voice could be heard echoing across the now-gray chamber. For a moment, nobody answered.

Then Kirito said, "Nine. Nine of us didn't make it."

"Holy crap…" Klein gasped. "We haven't lost that many since floor twenty-five when the army got stomped."

"And we still got twenty-five more floors to go…" Agil could be heard saying. "How we even gonna make it that far?" No one had an answer for him.

Mataras looked over at the only man still standing. There he was, strong and proud, still in the green zone. Mataras' eyes narrowed at the health bar. _After that disaster, he's still like a god amongst his mortal subjects-_ Mataras' eyes widened. _His subjects… That dry, mocking voice of his… _He felt his blood freeze.

Nudging Kirito with his elbow to get his attention. "What…?" The other boy said quietly?

Mataras turned to face his brother in arms and mouthed, '_The arena. His block.'_

"What of it?" the Black Swordsman asked softly with a frown.

Mataras jerked his head at Heathcliff, who was still unmoving, looking up at the ceiling in contemplation. Then he mouthed, _'Too fast. He was being protected.'_ Kirito's eyebrows down as he recalled the moment and played it back again his mind. Then he looked over at Heathcliff, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Protected by what…?" He murmured. Then he had it, and he looked over at his partner. Moving as one, Mataras dashed around to the left of Heathcliff while Kirito went right for him full-on.

"Heathcliff!" Mataras roared as he leaped at the man with his sword in hand. The paladin moved to block- only to leave his back exposed to Kirito's straight thrust that took him in the back. Or rather, it would have, if not for a purple hexagon that stopped his blow. Following that, which confirmed the two boys' suspicions was another hexagon that appeared above the man's head that read 'Immortal Object'.

"Kirito!" Asuna cried. "What are you two-?!" Her voice caught in her throat as she saw the hexagon. "Wha…? Commander Heathcliff…? What's going on?!"

"We have the answer to that," Kirito said while Mataras kept his sword at the ready, the sheer fury of the Red Swordsman's gaze threatening to burn holes in Heathcliff's head. "The reason his health never drops into the red zone? It's because he's been protected this whole time. By the system itself."

"By the system…?" Sachi repeated. "How is that possible? Is that part of the Divine Blade?"

"Hah!" Mataras spat. "There is _nothing_ 'divine' about this man whatsoever."

"He's right," Kirito nodded as he looked up at the ceiling, much like Heathcliff had just a few moments ago. "One thing bothered Mataras and I these past two years. 'Where is he?' we wondered. Where is he hiding as he controls everything in this world? The answer was staring in the face the whole time." He levelled his gaze to look at the man in the red armor, who had yet to speak or move. "We were working ourselves up so hard that we forgot a basic psychological fact- one so simple, any child would know. There's nothing more boring than watching someone else play a game of any kind."

Mataras smiled wolfishly as he finished the build-up with the words, "And why not get in on the greatest game ever created? Isn't that right, Akihiko Kayaba?" The chamber went deadly quiet following those words.

The only reaction in the room was Heathcliff's frown. "For my curiosity's sake, would mind telling me how you came to that conclusion?"

"The first clue we really noticed was in the final moments of our duel," Kirito replied evenly. "That last move was way too fast. Most people couldn't tell because of all the dust in the air, or their AGI stats weren't high enough to keep up with us. And I almost even passed it off as a glitch. But Mataras noticed it too, which meant that there wasn't any lag on my part. You did that yourself."

"Hmm, yes, that was a painful failure for me," Heathcliff nodded. "You were so strong and fast that I had no choice but to engage my assist mod."

"And that's not all," Mataras spat, interrupting the man. "Although I should have recognized it sooner, your voice remains unchanged. I can't prove that point, but unfortunately for you, I happen to have a photographic memory should an event or person hold my interest. You really should have modified your character's voice, not just your face."

Heathcliff closed his eyes and smiled in amusement. "You have a good point," he said. "And your observance is even higher than I had anticipated anybody could have. I had planned on remaining silent until the boss had been defeated on floor ninety-five. But alas…" his smile grew slightly wider and smugger as he said, "Yes. I am Akihiko Kayaba. And now that my identity has been revealed, it should come as no surprise that I am the final boss that will await you all on the top floor."

The troops assembled reacted with shock and horror. Asuna swooned slightly and had to lean on Kirito. Mataras had to keep Sachi from falling over entirely. "So the most powerful player in the entire game turns heel to become the final boss?" Kirito scoffed. "Seems kinda cliché."

"Actually, I kind of like that angle," Heathcliff/Kayaba chuckled.

"You bastard…" Raphael, the new Vice Commander, was getting to his feet slowly, trembling with anger. "Our hopes… Our loyalty… All for nothing… How dare you? _How dare you_?!" He leaped at his commander, sword coming up to strike at his head.

Heathcliff sighed in annoyance and entered a command into his menu. Raphael suddenly dropped like a sack of potatoes, paralyzed. A few more commands later, and the same thing had happened to everyone but Mataras and Kirito. Sachi's Pure Heart skill couldn't even prevent her from being paralyzed. Even Litrosh, a familiar, was taken by the poisonous effects with a loud snarl of frustration.

"Mommy…" Yui said as she tried in vain to reach Asuna. Kirito gently laid them close to one another and then stood up to face the enemy.

"So what now?" Kirito asked as Mataras stood up from helping Sachi. "You gonna kill everyone here to cover it up?"

"Oh god, no," Kayaba said with a strong shake of his head. "That wouldn't be very sporting of me. No, I have a better idea. I think I'll head up to the Ruby Palace and wait for you all there. It's a shame that I have to leave you all so soon- I've spent a lot of time building up the Knights and several other strong players. Oh, well. You're all quite strong, so I'm sure I'll see you all up there- eventually."

He smiled as the Red and Black Swordsmen. "To be honest, I had expected that one of you two would be the ones to face me. Dual-Wielding is what I awarded Kirito after seeing him in action because of his incredible reflexes. Dragon Blood I allowed the system to give out at random, but I honestly never expected someone to be able to use it that well until I saw in action during the Laughing Coffin Raid. As a matter of fact…" He jammed his shield into the ground where it stuck fast.

"I feel that the two of you deserve a reward for guessing my identity, so… I'm going to give you a chance- and a choice." Kayaba smiled theatrically as even Mataras was taken aback.

"A chance at what?" Kirito asked.

"A chance for one of you to fight me right here, right now," Kayaba replied simply. "Defeat me, and you will have cleared the game- thereby freeing everyone trapped in the world of Aincrad. Oh… And my immortality will be deactivated, of course." And he awaited their answer without another word.

"Deal," Mataras said shortly. Kayaba turned to face the young man, who promptly sheathed his blade on his back.

"You will fight me?" the man asked with a cocked head.

"Only if Kirito doesn't," Mataras said, surprising everyone there, save for one. "He has the best chance of defeating you, because he has the greatest drive out of anyone in this game. He has the most reasons to win. He is the true master of the Law of the Sword."

Kayaba turned to face the boy, who was glaring at him with fierce resolve. "Very well," Kayaba said. Then he paralyzed Mataras, who sat down before it took effect.

"No, Kirito, please don't," Asuna begged. "We need to regroup. We can take him later."

"No," he said, his voice low and hard. "I can't run from this. Not if it means a chance at freeing everyone."

Seeing that his mind was made up, Asuna gave in, "You better not die, you hear me?"

"I won't," he said with a smile. "I love you, Asuna. You too, Yui." Mataras didn't need to see the boy's face to know that he was lying. And could he blame him? Kayaba was the most powerful person in the game, second to none. Kirito would need luck to beat him- there was no guarantee of him winning.

Kirito stood before the man that had held everyone trapped for two long years, but then he turned around as Klein and Agil both shouted protests. "Thanks for all of your support, Agil," he said with a grin. When the bald man gasped in surprise, Kirito's grin widened and he added, "Yeah, I knew. You act like you're all about the money, but I know. You spent every spare bit of col that you could on helping the intermediate players level up.

"And Klein…" Kirito's voice went very soft. "I regret bailing on you that day. I think about it all the time."

"No, don't you apologize!" Klein shouted angrily, pounding his fist against the stone, the only thing he could do with the paralysis effect. "I won't accept it! I'm not accepting an apology until we've met up on the other side, and you're buying me dinner, damn it!" He began to sob as Kirito forced himself to smile and salute with his sword.

"It's a deal," he said. Then his gaze fell on Mataras and Sachi, and he couldn't keep the tears from forming, though he kept his voice strong. "You guys were a great family. You made it worthwhile to live through the two years in here. You helped me find Asuna and our daughter."

"Fight hard, Brother," Mataras said, straining against the paralysis so that he could look his best friend in the eye. "I expect to see you again soon."

"Same here," Sachi said with a smile. "We believe in you, Kirito."

Then the Black Swordsman turned to fully face his enemy. "I have one last request to make," he said in a flat voice.

"And what is that?" Kayaba asked patiently.

"I'm not going down easy," Kirito said. "But if I do die, I want you to fix it so that Asuna can't kill herself."

No, Kirito, that's not fair!" Asuna screamed. "You can't do that! _Kirito_!" Both men ignored her pleas.

"Very well," Kayaba nodded. "You deserve that much. You have my word that she will not be able to harm herself in any manner." Kirito nodded and drew his swords as Kayaba manipulated his menu once more. Above his head appeared a message on a red hexagon. It read, 'Changed to Mortal Object'. Then the demon king drew his sword and hefted his shield into position.

Both men stared at each other for a long, tense moment. Then, just as Mataras thought he would, Kirito was the first one to act, throwing himself at Kayaba's massive shield with brutal force. As soon as the fierce battle began, Mataras jerked his head over to look at Yui, who had her eyes glued to the fight.

"Yui," he whispered. The girl looked over at him with fear in her eyes. "I have a plan."

* * *

Kirito threw everything that he had at Kayaba, but to no avail. Suddenly, he realized why. _He designed the dual-wielding system_, he thought grimly. _Which means that he knows every one of its attacks. The only thing he can't know is how high the skill has been developed._ So his only hope was to unleash his full power and hope for the best at this point. If he didn't get past the shield or break it, he was going to tire out. And that would be the end of him.

_Alright, then,_ he thought as his swords both glowed bright blue._ Let's go for it: Eclipse!_ And he unleashed most powerful attack he had: a twenty-five hit combo that was only unlocked once the skill had been maximized.

Then he saw something that crushed his hopes completely: Kayaba was smiling. _He knew_, he thought with dread that quickly melted into dull acceptance. _Of course he did._ As he landed the last attack on the massive shield, his dark repulser broke. And since he would receive a five-second penalty freeze effect from having his attack blocked, that meant-

"Game over, Kirito," Kayaba said with a wry smirk. His sword glowed red and slashed down at Kirito. The Black Swordsman almost shut his eyes against the end, but then there was motion. A flash of dark red with a hint of black.

Mataras stepped in between Kirito and the deadly blow, and the sword slashed into his body, trailing a red line that ended with the blade being jammed in his chest, much to the surprise of everyone present, including Kayaba.

"How…?" he murmured as Mataras' life drained away.

The Red Swordsman smirked and turned his neck to look painfully at his killer. "Come on… Kayaba," he grunted. "Surely… you knew… You're not the only one… with administrator privileges… She… used them… to counter… your poison." Casting a glance at his mighty dragon, which was shedding tears, he said, "Sorry… Litrosh."

"What are-" Kayaba's gaze snapped over to lock on the little girl next to Asuna, who had an admin's window open. "Yui," he said, seeming truly shocked for the first time since SAO had begun.

Kirito saw all of this happening around him, but he could only see Mataras, with Kayaba's sword through his chest. "You…" he couldn't speak.

"I told you… I'd… protect you both… Brother." He thrust something into Kirito's left hand and then smiled, peace settling on his face. Then he shattered into thousands of shards. Kirito could only look down at his hand, dumbstruck. There, in his glove, was his brother's sword.

"Now this _is_ a surprise," Kayaba chuckled. "How on earth did you manage to- urk!" He looked down to see a silver blade protruding from his chest. Holding it in his back was Sachi, tears running down her now-fierce face.

"For my brother," she said quietly.

Kirito suddenly snapped, and a wordless bellow erupted from his lungs as he ran Kayaba through with Guilty Thorn, eyes colored gold. Far from seeming surprised or enraged at this point, Kayaba simply smiled as he accepted his fate. The second sword ran him through and depleted the last of his health.

Sachi and Kirito stayed motionless as Kayaba shattered into thousands of pieces. Instead of disappearing, though, they floated up and then through the ceiling, to the skies beyond. And they all knew that finally, at long last, it was over. A voice began to echo throughout Aincrad, saying, "As of today, November seventh, fourteen fifty-five, Aincrad standard time, the game has been cleared. I repeat, the game has been cleared."

* * *

Mataras opened his eyes to find himself standing upright. However, he was disoriented for a moment when he looked down and found himself standing on a clear platform, with the clouds lit gold by the sunset below him. "Hmm…" he mused. Looking at himself, he was dressed in his battle gear, minus his sword and scabbard.

"Am I still in Sword Art Online?" he murmured aloud. Swiping his fingers, he was somewhat surprised when a menu appeared. But instead of the options that he was used to, only a panel that said, 'Initiating Final Phase: 54%' appeared to him. While he was staring at it, the counter ticked up to fifty-five percent. Shrugging to himself, he let the menu close.

He had a feeling that once it hit one hundred, he would die. It was likely that the timer represented how long it would be before everyone was allowed to log out of Sword Art Online. "Well, Victoria," he said quietly. "I guess it won't be long now. I'll be joining you in a bit." He smiled at the thought. "I can't wait to see what kind of adventures we'll have together. And I can't wait to hear all about the one's you've had without me." And then he was silent for a moment, letting his eyes wander the skies.

Suddenly he caught sight of something odd. It was a massive steel castle, floating in the sky below him. He recognized it as Aincrad, but it was crumbling from the bottom up. "And so ends the reign of Akihiko Kayaba," he said quietly. He watched as Kirito and Asuna's house was destroyed, and a part of him felt sad about it, but he forced himself to smile at the happy memories that he had of that place, and the family that had once lived in it.

"A stunning view, isn't it?" said a familiar voice. Mataras looked over sharply to see Akihiko Kayaba standing in a white lab coat, looking exactly as he had in the real world. His appearance was very different from Heathcliff's save for two things. His voice was just as dry and modulated as ever, and his gray eyes only reflected a dull interest in the things around him, despite his words.

"So is Aincrad done for?" Mataras asked simply.

"Yes," Kayaba nodded once. "Back at Argus headquarters, five stories beneath the street, the SAO mainframe is deleting everything in its memory banks, bit by bit."

"And the players?" Mataras demanded a little more sharply.

"You don't need to worry about them," Kayaba replied evenly. "All six thousand, one-hundred-and-forty-seven surviving players were logged out about five minutes after I was defeated."

Mataras nodded in acceptance. He knew that there was no need to ask about the fallen. Sociopathic as he might be, Kayaba was not a liar. Every word he'd made, he had stayed true to, and every promise he'd made, he had kept. Which meant that as surely as he had honored the terms of his duel with Kirito, those that had died up until now would never rise again.

"I just have one last question," Mataras said.

"Name it."

"Why did you do this?" The tone he used was not angry, accusing, or sad. It was a question of curiosity, plain and simple.

Kayaba finally turned to face the young man as he smiled softly and said, "That's a good question… To be honest, it's been so long, I had almost forgotten." He took a deep breath and said, "I wanted to see a new world, Mataras. One with a different set of rules than earth's laws and restrictions. I wanted to see what people would make of my new world, my steel castle that floated in the sky. And you know what? I saw something that surpassed even my expectations. Thank you for helping show me something beyond even what I had anticipated."

"And I suppose I should thank you, in a way," Mataras said quietly. When Kayaba raised his eyebrows, Mataras added, "I found peace here, in this world. Had I not been trapped here and put in the position I was, I never would have met the Moonlit Black Cats. I never would have had a family again. So thank you, Kayaba." And they shook hands as a mark of respect for one another.

"Well then," Kayaba said with a smile. "I should be going. But before I forget- congratulations on helping beat the game, Mataras. I hope I'll see you again someday."

"I doubt that will happen," Mataras chuckled to himself as Kayaba vanished in puff of white vapor. Looking back at Aincrad, he was intrigued to see that about half of it still remained.

"Mataras?" another familiar voice reached his ears, and he froze.

_No way…_ He thought as he forced himself to turn around. To see his family, all standing there. Kirito, Asuna, Yui, and Sachi. All smiling. All with tears in their eyes. He smiled at the sight. "Hello, my friends," he said, still smiling. Then they all rushed him, forcing him into a bear hug.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into Sachi's head as she squeezed him tightly.

"You should be," she said as she pulled back slightly.

"You made everybody cry!" Yui said accusingly, and Mataras had to laugh, despite his own tears. He picked the little girl up and hugged her close.

"Sorry, but I had to save your idiot father," he chuckled as Kirito's jaw dropped. "I think he's a little more important than I am. He needs to take care of your mother and you when he leaves. And your Aunt has a family waiting for her back there. I only have family waiting for me on the other side of eternity."

Sachi hugged him again as she cried, "Mataras, you _are_ my family."

"I know," he said softly. "But the course of life has run out for me, I'm afraid. And before we part ways, I'd like to make a request."

"Name it," Sachi sniffed. "Anything you want."

"Tell me you real names," he said with grin as he set Yui down. "I would like to know who you really are before we say good-bye. So I can say it properly."

They all smiled at him in return and wiped their tears. Kirito was the first to speak, saying, "My name… It's Kazuto Kirigaya. I just turned sixteen last month."

Asuna turned to her husband with some surprise and a hint of a blush. "So you _are_ younger than me," she giggled. Turning to Mataras, she said, "My name is Asuna Yuuki. And I'm seventeen now."

Last of all was Sachi, since they all knew Yui's name. "My name is Sayuri, Big Brother," she said softly. "Sayuri Motodato. And I… I love you so much!" She hugged him tightly again, and he returned the gesture.

"I love you, too," he murmured. "My dearest sister…"

Looking up at Kirito and Asuna, he said, "Kazuto Kirigaya. Asuna Kirigaya." They both flushed as he substituted her maiden name for his surname. "Live long and happy lives, do you hear me? Raise Yui well, so she can be happy with you. Promise me, before we part ways."

"We promise," they said in unison.

"Good," he nodded approvingly. "And you, Yui Kirigaya? Be a good girl for your parents, understand? And keep on smiling."

"I will," she nodded fiercely. "I promise, Uncle." Then she managed a smile, despite her tears. "Now it's you turn. What's your name?"

"My name?" he smiled back. "My name was once Michael… I'm eighteen, and I abandoned my last name years ago."

"Michael…"Sachi repeated softly. "I like that name. It suits you."

They laughed together as the family gathered in a warm, tight embrace for what would be the last time in that world. As they did, the last of Aincrad was destroyed. Everything began to glow white, and they all shut their eyes together. Their souls touched briefly, and merged before they were cast about, scattered.

_Good-bye_, they all heard the Red Swordsman say in their minds. _I will miss you all. But know that I will love you no matter how far apart we may be… My family. _Then…Silence.

* * *

**And that's the end of the Aincrad arc. I hope that you all enjoyed it, and I hope that you'll continue on with me in the next part of this story... When I bring the Fairy Dance and Phantom Bullet arcs together! Interested? Click on the next chapter, where you will either find a preview of the next part, or the beginning of a brand-new, never-done-before crossover!**


	16. Preview

**A/N: And now... the part that I have been looking forward to for some time... If you know any spoilers about this story, please keep them out of the reviews for the sake of other readers! Let's see if you can guess what I'm replacing ALO with?! If you can't guess by the end, I'll simply have to tell you, I suppose...**

* * *

Preview

"You _cannot_ be serious." He deadpanned.

"Brother, show some respect!" Agil glowered. "I used to play with those things and followed the story as a kid! I still got some of 'em in pristine condition! And if you ever bothered to read the story, you'd know it's pretty hardcore stuff in there."

"Hmph…"

* * *

The boy smirked and stretched out his armored hand. Less than a moment later, a blast of fire flew from his palm to strike his opponent's chest and explode, smashing him into a tree. _Not bad, actually._ His sword was taken off of his back and he grinned confidently at the other fire-users. "Who else wants some from a renegade?" he taunted…

The mask he had selected flared brightly, creating a shield of red energy that stopped the oncoming fire streams. Leafa and Sinon gasped at the level of control he was displaying, despite the fact that it was only his second day in Element Six Online. To use any mask power required intense concentration, and the advanced ones usually took a good five seconds to activate, yet he had activated his Kanohi with seemingly little effort…

* * *

"I'm heading for the tournament, and no one is going to stop me," the boy said grimly as his two AI companions turned to leave the tavern with him. "I _will_ beat them all myself if that's what it takes."

"Wait!" Leafa cried. "Sinon is going there tomorrow anyway! We can help you, Big Brother!"

"I appreciate the offer, Leafa," he smiled as he looked back. "But I don't want to cause you any trouble. If those rumors about people dying in real life after encountering this 'Death Kanoka' guy, I can't afford to put you in danger." Then he looked over at Sinon, who regarded him coolly. "But if you are truly set on winning the tournament, sorry, but you are going to have to wait until next year. Because no one is stopping me from getting to the heart of that volcano…"

* * *

"Sorry kid, but the gate doesn't stop until something passes through it," the red-and-gold armored man laughed.

"Then I guess I'll just have to get your Olmak first, and then put you inside it," his challenger snarled. "I've faced hundreds of monsters that were all tougher than you with just a sword and my wits. You might as well be a walk in the park for me."

"You little…!"

* * *

"You think you can just get away with whatever you want?!" Sinon shouted at him, tears beginning to spill down her eyes. "What about the people around you, huh?! What about what they want?! What they need?!"

The boy in red armor sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry, Sinon," he said. "I don't know why this means so much to you. But this means my family to me. If I don't win this tournament and get the key to the Kini-Nui quest, I may never see them again. Which is why I cannot hold back at all. Not one bit. But if you want to tell me why this is so important, maybe I can help somehow. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can offer…"

* * *

"Just who do you think you are?!" the golden-armored coward shrieked.

The boy smirked as he looked down at the mask he had summoned and said, "I don't think, I _know_ who I am." He looked Sugou in the eye and said, "I used to be the Red Swordsman- now I'm the Toa of Aincrad." Then Mataras placed the Kanohi Kraahkan over his maskless face. "And I'm about to show you why messing with a Black Cat brings bad luck."

* * *

**Hehe... Here it is, the VERY first SAO x Bonicle crossover!**

**For those of you that cared about that universe as a kid, I hope you'll love this, as I am basing the game ESO on the old universe that was discontinued. Prepare for the FEELS! And if you never engaged in the Bionicle toy sets or story, sorry! But I promise, what I have designed is going to be even cooler that the Fairies of Alfheim! Just you wait and see!**

**P.S. The next chapter will be out in a few days. Also, I will at that point change the story to be a proper crossover, so its location will change. Just look up SAO crossovers and then look under the 'B' section. I hope to see all of you there, and then maybe some new faces! Thank you, 'till next time!**

**P.P.S. And yes, I DID make Agil a Bionicle fan!**


	17. Awakening

**A/N: Okay, since some of you guys were practically _begging _for the next chapter, here you go. We won't get to see the crossover come into effect yet, but I'll be moving the story into the category here in a little bit. Remember to leave a review and message me!**

**P.S. I will likely be updating this chapter a little more often than my other stories since it's my most popular one right now. Hope that's okay with you guys!**

* * *

Awakening

Michael woke drenched in sweat and breathing hard. He placed his hand on the wall next to his bed to steady himself, fearing that he might fall off if he didn't. _Why is this happening?_ He thought as he slowly stood up to wash his face.

Nightmares had never impacted him this way before. Many times each night, he would relive the moment that he'd lost his little sister, Victoria, but never had he woken in cold sweat and feeling like he'd just run a marathon. What was the difference?

"Kirito… Asuna…" he sighed as he looked over at the NerveGear on the shelf. "What am I supposed to do with you guys? Heh. What would you do with me?" He left his room and noticed from the window someone already up and about in the yard.

He had a feeling he knew who it would be, so he decided to head outside to keep her company. As he headed down the stairs, his mind wandered down his memories…

* * *

"I'm not answering any questions until I find out where the three people I asked about are," Michael- also known as Mataras, the Red Swordsman of Aincrad- said with a glare at the nurse with the clipboard. He had been more than shocked to find that when the white light had consumed him, he didn't wake up to find his sister waiting for him- just the bland white ceiling of a hospital.

His initial reaction had been fury. He had thought that his journey was finished, and he was going to go be with Victoria forever. And now he was faced with the reality of earth, a place that he had abandoned as soon as he was smote by Kayaba. He had torn off his NerveGear, intending to smash it against the wall, but when he held it in both hands, a torrent of memories flooded his mind.

Days spent in the fields, leveling and getting stronger with Kirito. Afternoons bickering in a friendly manner with Asuna. Picnics with their daughter, Yui. And the warm evenings spent with his sister, Sachi. And in that instant, his face had relaxed and his eyes softened as he held the helmet-like device.

"I always thought of you as my enemy," he had said quietly. "But you were a good captor. Thank you." Then the hospital staff had come in with dozens of questions that he did not feel like answering. They had told him to hold his own questions until they had done their survey. Which led him to where he was now.

"Honey, you're really going to have to be more understanding about this," the nurse said. "We have a lot of people making inquiries about other players right now, so our servers are overloaded and our staff is overworked. Please, just-"

"I don't need this," the black-haired boy snarled. He ripped out his I.V. and swung his legs out from the bed as he used his hand to put pressure on the small wound. "Either help me, or get out of my way."

The nurse called for assistance, which led to Michael brawling with a staff member in an attempt to leave his room. When they finally had him restrained, he refused to answer of their questions concerning his whereabouts when the game ended, and what was happening as the world of Aincrad collapsed. He didn't even speak a word to them, just glaring at them with pure anger in his eyes.

This had been going on for some time when a single man dressed immaculately stepped into the room and said, "Nurse, I'm going to have to ask you to leave us be for a bit." When she protested, he showed her some form of identification that instantly silenced her and got her and her co-workers to leave.

"I heard you did quite a number on that guy," the man said as he sat beside the bed where Michael was restrained. "After two years in bed, most people would barely have the strength to stand, let alone fight a full-grown man. That's impressive."

"Kazuto Kirigya. Asuna Yuuki. Sayuri Motodato. Find those people for me, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about Sword Art Online," Michael stated. "Until then, I have no intention of saying anything to anyone."

"I can see that," the man said dryly. "Well, if that's the case, give me a moment." He pulled out his cell phone and began speaking a rapid stream of Japanese with someone on the other line. Michael noted that his English had been perfect, which impressed him.

When he was done speaking on the phone, he said, "My people will have your friends' locations and conditions in a few moments. In the meantime, may we at least get down to introductions? I can start if it makes you feel more comfortable."

When Michael simply raised an eyebrow, the man shrugged and said, "Very well. My name is Seijiro Kikuoka, and I am with the internal affairs regarding the SAO incident."

Michael's other eyebrow shot up before he finally said, "My name is Michael. I'm an orphan without a surname."

Seijiro nodded and looked like he was about to say something else, but his phone began to vibrate, indicating a caller. "Excuse me," he said as he answered it. His brow bent downward as he spoke in Japanese to his associate on the other end, sending a chill down Michael's spine.

"What's happened?" he demanded, wriggling against his restraints. The other man made a calming gesture while listening to his co-worker. After another few moments of talking, Seijiro put his phone down with an uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Michael, I will get to the point," he said. "There is both good and bad news. The good news is, none of your friends are among the deceased. The bad news is, only Motodato is awake. Both Kirigiya and Yuuki are still comatose, along with three hundred-odd other players."

"What?!" was all that Michael could say. "Why haven't they woken up yet?"

"I don't know," Seijiro replied uncomfortably. "We're running as many tests as we feel are safe at the moment to answer that question. If you want, I can get you released, and you can go visit them."

"Please, sir," Michael nodded. "Those people are the closest thing I have to family."

"I would still like my questions answered on the way," Seijiro reminded him.

"If you can get me out of here, then I'll believe you are who you say you are," Michael replied. "Then you can ask your questions."

* * *

The others were stationed at two different hospitals; Kirito and Sachi were in Tokyo, while Asuna was at a private hospital a few miles away from them. They went to see Sachi first.

When they reached her room, they were not surprised to see a small group of people inside that bore a resemblance to her- her family, Michael assumed. The boy himself was being wheel-chaired by Kikuoka, as he was weak from his fight against the hospital staff and two years of lying trapped in a bed.

When they entered the room, the family became quiet and stared at the new arrival. Mataras had been a strong, robust warrior. Michael on the other hand, was a pale, sickly orphan who looked like he would break himself if he sneezed. He didn't look like anyone that any of them knew- save for one.

Sayuri- otherwise known as Sachi- gasped as she recognized him, despite the long, messy black hair. When his dark eyes locked onto her own, she knew exactly who had come to visit her. Sayuri stirred from her mother's embrace to whisper, "Onii-chan?"

"I hope that you speak English," he replied with a slight grin.

"Brother…" she began to sob. She reached out to him from her bed, much to the bewilderment of her family. A man moved to interpose himself between Michael and the girl. From his age and position in the room, Michael guessed him to be an uncle- perhaps the one that Sachi had spoken of while they were in the game. Sayuri soothed the man with a few words and made several gestures towards Michael as he got up with the help of Seijiro. The uncle reluctantly moved aside as Michael walked over to the bed of his friend and all but collapsed as he tried to give her a hug as she reached for him.

She had to keep his face from hitting the railing on the bed as he managed to weakly drape his arms around the girl that he had come to look on as family. His face relaxed considerably as he hugged his little sister for the first time in real life.

Sayuri began to cry harder than she had before as she held her beloved brother in her arms, feeling how thin and frail he had become. Yet despite his weakness, she could feel that fire that had burned steadily throughout the two years in Aincrad emanating from his body. It warmed her heart, and she whispered, "I thought… you were… gone…"

"Did you really think that a little thing like death by a boiled brain was going to keep me from my little sister?" Michael said weakly, feeling a few tears slide down his own face. In the background, he was aware of the family talking with the government official, which seemed to escalate into an argument rather quickly. This was ended quickly when- from what Michael understood- Seijiro threatened to put them all in jail for a night unless they let him have a moment alone with Sayuri and Michael. They left, but it was clear that he wasn't getting very long with them.

When they had all left, Seijiro helped Michael back into his chair and he began to tell Sayuri- in English, so that Michael could better understand- what the situation was concerning their guild mates.

Once he had done that, Seijiro questioned them both on what they knew about Aincrad's destruction- he knew that they were both partially responsible, since they had been able to track player's general movements within the game, but not the specific details.

When they were done, he asked them if they would like to visit their friends. Sayuri and Michael both expressed their interest, but the girl had to explain the situation to her family first, which took a little while. Finally, they were able to break away from the grip of her family, and headed up a couple of floors.

* * *

The hospital was abuzz with activity due to the awakening of the SAO survivors, so it took some time before they were able to make it to the room where Kazuto lay, still trapped in slumber. When they finally arrived, Michael was not surprised to see two women there, one appearing middle-aged, and the other only a couple of years younger than himself. Both were crying steadily.

"Why won't he wake up?!" the younger girl seemed to be saying in her native tongue. "It's not fair! Everyone else is waking up, why not him?!"

"That's not entirely true," Michael said as he wheeled himself in slowly. He had insisted that Kikuoka push Sachi's wheelchair as to not burden the hospital staff with another duty. "There are about three hundred other players that have yet to awaken."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" the older lady asked in English.

Michael made a short bow from his seated position and said, "My name is Michael, Mrs. Kirigaya. I was very good friends with your son in Sword Art Online- we were like brothers, in fact. He saved my life many times, and I his."

Turning to indicate Sayuri, he said, "This young lady is Sayuri, another good friend of ours. We three and another girl made up a small guild. And the man standing behind her is Mr. Kikuoka. He works for the internal affairs concerning the NerveGear incident."

The younger girl had looked up to see the people that had come in, trying to wipe away the tears from her eyes. "You were… a friend of Big Brother's?" she asked as she tried to contain her sobs.

"As I said, he was like a brother to me," Michael replied. "You must be Suguha. Kazuto always spoke very fondly of you." The boy was careful not to use anybody's avatar name when he talked to others- Seijiro had asked him to keep as much information about Aincrad a secret as possible.

"He… he did?" Suguha asked. "I thought… I thought he…"

"He never hated you," Sayuri said. "He always said that his biggest regret was not saying goodbye to you before he logged into SAO. You were one of his biggest reasons for working so hard to clear the game, right alongside Asuna."

"Asuna?" Kazuto's mother/aunt asked.

"She was the fourth member of our guild," Michael explained. "She was also Kazuto's… er, girlfriend." He almost said 'wife', but he realized that his family might not react too well to the thought of Kazuto being married so young, even if it was in-game.

"Oh," Mrs. Kirigaya said. "Well… I do apologize, but as you can imagine, this is a lot to take in. I need a moment…" She sat down and buried her hands in her head.

"Brother, maybe it's better if I go back to visit my family," Sayuri said. "They'll get worried if I'm gone for too long."

"Fair enough," Michael nodded. "Will I see you later?"

"Of course," Sayuri nodded, looking tired. "Goodbye, Michael."

"Farewell," he said with a weak wave of his hand.

As Sachi left with Kikuoka, Michael wheeled himself over to where his friend slept. He grasped his forearm with all the strength he could muster and whispered so that no-one could hear him, "Come back soon, Kirito. The Moonlit Black Cats are waiting for you."

"Um, Michael, was it?" Suguha asked.

"Yes, that is my name," he said as he turned to face her.

"Why aren't you visiting your family right now? I'm sure they must be worried," she said. "It can't be very exciting, talking to two crying girls and a boy in a coma."

The barest of smiles touched his face as he replied, "I appreciate your concern. But I don't have blood relatives. They all died when I was young, in a car accident. I… To simplify things, I was the only one to survive in the long run."

Suguha's jaw dropped as she realized how insensitive she had been. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't-"

"Don't worry about it," he said with a wave of his hand. "I came to terms with it a while ago. It was actually thanks to Kazuto and the girls that I did."

"But…" Suguha's face showed concern. "Where do you live?"

"I don't have a home," Michael shrugged. "I lived at an orphanage, but I'm probably not welcome there anymore because of my age."

"Well, then…"

* * *

That had been two months ago, and both of his friends still had yet to awaken. Suguha had convinced her mother to let Michael stay in Kazuto's room until he was at least rehabilitated and able to find work so he could move out on his own.

Which explained his current position. He was sitting cross-legged on the porch, watching Suguha practice her kendo with her bamboo sword. The stances she used were a little too stiff for his taste, but he did have to admit that her blows would likely have some extra power as opposed to his one-handed style. However, the trade-off was that her blows would be a lot slower than his. And in a real fight, Michael felt that speed was more of a deciding factor than brute force.

Once she had gotten her warm-up, she turned to see Michael sitting there silently, stiff as a statue. His presence surprised her as he hadn't made a single sound as he approached. Even though this wasn't unusual behavior for him, it stilled unnerved her how silent her new friend could move.

Without a word, he tossed her a water bottle, which she nearly dropped, still surprised at his approach. "Geez, give a girl some warning if you're gonna sneak up on her," she said as she undid the cap on the bottle.

"It wouldn't be much of a stealthy approach if I made noise, now would it?" Michael said as he raised an eyebrow. "It sort of defeats the purpose."

"Oh yeah?" Suguha retorted. "And what's the purpose? Giving me a heart attack?"

"Keeping my skills sharp," he said. "He who makes a silent approach from behind always gets the better of his opponent. Those that appear with trumpet and fanfare only advertise their own imminent demise."

"Uh… what?"

"Just something I learned in shorin-ryu," Michael said with a shrug.

"You were a karate student?" Suguha asked with surprise.

"And an expert sword-user," Michael nodded with another shrug. "If you wish, you and I can have a match against one another."

"I'd…" Suguha smiled at her friend. "I'd like that, Michael."

"Very well," he said as he stood. "My rehabilitation has been coming along smoothly, so don't feel the need to hold back, all right?"

* * *

"Just remember, you asked for it," Suguha said as she settled into her kendo stance.

"Hmph," Michael muttered. "Don't get too cocky, Suguha. I spent two years in a game where the law of the sword is the only one that matters."

"Okay…" the girl said while rolling her eyes. "Ready?"

"Ladies first," Michael shrugged as he settled into his own signature stance, sword arm up above his body, blade up behind his head in a diagonal angle and feet set in a reverse stance. "Begin."

The match lasted about ten seconds with an unarguable victory. Suguha was immediately forced to be on the defensive when Michael leaped at her with a straight thrust that she deflected.

She went to bring her sword down on his shoulder, but he spun his sword to bring it across his back in order to deflect the two-handed blow. Spinning back around with startling speed, he lashed out with his own weapon, landing an impact that jarred her hands, all the way up to her biceps and nearly smacking her stick out of her hands. She was surprised by the power behind his blows. Then just as fast and hard, he smashed his weapon in a reverse stroke that broke her grip on the tool, sending it flying across the room.

Finally, he pointed his sword at her throat and said, "Dead." She raised her hands in surrender. "Nice power," he said as he pulled his weapon away. "But you need to improve on your speed and footwork."

"Heh," she said as she removed her helmet. "You sound like my kendo instructor. He said something pretty similar after I got knocked out of the quarter-finals in my last tournament."

"Then I'd say he knows what he's talking about," Michael said as he began to remove his armor.

"Hey, Michael?" Suguha asked. "Would you mind if we sparred together every now and again?"

"Not at all," Michael said with a rare grin. "Just don't expect me to go easy on you."

"Just the way I like it," Suguha said while returning the smile. She was glad that Michael was so easy to get along with. He had all kinds of stories about Kazuto, Asuna, and his sister Sayuri in the world of Aincrad, which she never tired of hearing.

* * *

As they went to wash up, Suguha finally broached a subject that she'd been wanting to ask him about for some time. "So, Michael," she began. "How exactly do you feel about the virtual world?"

"Hmm…" he stayed silent for a moment as he splashed his face with water. Then he said, "That is a hard question… I would be lying if I said I didn't hate what happened to all of us… But at the same time, I have so many memories of a life that I led there. It was a dangerous life, but- at least in my opinion- it was a good one."

"Okay… I think I get it," Suguha nodded. "If that's the case, I might have something to show you later on."

"Oh?" Michael said with a raised eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, I'll hold you to that, but I'm planning on visiting Asuna today. Perhaps tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan," Suguha grinned.

* * *

Later on that day, Michael was on his way up an elevator. He was in the hospital where Asuna was still sleeping. He had already visited Kazuto with Suguha and Sayuri the day before, so it was Asuna's turn now. As he rode up the elevator, his mind wandered down the possibilities that would explain his friend's predicaments.

The one that kept circulating around the media was that Akihiko Kayaba was behind their comas again for another hidden agenda, but he had discounted that one a while ago. Kayaba's goal had been accomplished, so there was no need for him to hold onto three hundred players any longer.

The most likely possibility was that the NerveGears had malfunctioned, and they had frozen during the mass logout. It was the most likely occurence, but Michael couldn't help but feel that there was some piece of the puzzle that he was missing. The question was, who would stand to gain from keeping three hundred people asleep?

Shaking the thoughts form his head, Michael stepped out of the elevator and headed for Asuna's room. Swiping the card that he had been given by her father, he stepped into the room, noticing the fresh smell of flowers.

Her mother must have been in already, if there were new flowers in the room, he thought. _Good. I can't stand her._ He had butted heads with Mrs. Yuuki a number of times when they had happened to visit at the same time. She was convinced that he was trying to court her daughter for her family's money, no matter how many times he explained that Asuna had never mentioned her family name until the end of the game, and the fact that her heart belonged to Kazuto.

Her father was much more reasonable, he had found, and had no problem with the visits that he and Sachi paid his daughter. The man was kind-hearted and understood how important their friendship was, so he had given the two SAO survivors full access to Asuna's room so that they could visit her at any time.

Michael sat down in a chair next to his friend, who remained in slumber, trapped by the device on her head. "I hope you and Kirito wake up soon," he said with a bitter smile. "I miss having you around."

He heard the door open, and he stood up, assuming that her father had come to visit. He heard two sets of footsteps, but only Mr. Yuuki entered the area that Michael could see. "Ah, good afternoon, Michael," the man said with a smile. "It's nice to see you."

"Good afternoon, sir," Michael replied as he shook hands with the man. "I hope I'm not here at a bad time."

"Not at all," Mr. Yuuki replied easily. "I know that Asuna enjoys it when her friends visit her here. I'm glad that she has such good people that care about her."

"You honor me too much," Michael replied. "I'm only doing what any real friend should be doing for her. But who is your friend hiding behind the curtain?"

"My apologies," a young, bespectacled man said as he stepped into view. He was relatively handsome, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a pleasant smile. "My name is Sugou Nobuyuki. I work for RCT Progress alongside Mr. Yuuki." He extended his hand to shake with Michael, who returned the gesture.

"Sugou, this is Michael, a good friend of Asuna's," Mr. Yuuki explained.

"Wait, Michael?" Sugou asked, surprised. "The Red Swordsman, Mataras?"

"How did you know that?" Michael asked sharply, pulling his hand back.

"Relax, Sugou is a close family friend," Mr. Yuuki said as he made a placating gesture. "He was somewhat involved with the SAO cleanup, so he already knows a few things about what happened in the game."

"Ah," Michael said. "Still, I'd prefer it if I were called by my real name, considering how I took out a lot of red players. Their families might not exactly appreciate what I did."

"Of course," the two men agreed. "My apologies once more," Sugou added. "I did not intend to cause you trouble. But speaking of intentions…" He turned to address his senior coworker. "I'd like to make official as soon as possible."

"Are you sure, Nobuyuki?" Asuna's father asked, seeming surprised. "You're young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. Are you sure you don't want any more time to think it over?"

"No sir," Sugou said with a soft smile as he looked down at Asuna. "I would like to make it official before the worst comes to pass. And if she wakes up, well, I want to be the first one to see her when that happens."

"Very well," Mr. Yuuki nodded. "We'll go ahead and set things up for January thirtieth. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few things to attend to." And he took his leave.

Michael's gaze burned with an intense hatred when Sugou looked back at the boy, surprising him. "You can't have her," he snarled.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean," Sugou said, his smile transforming from pleasant to smug. "I was simply referring to Asuna's marriage- to me."

"You can't marry someone who's in a coma," Michael challenged.

"Not really," Sugou agreed. "But if the Yuuki family were to adopt me, it would be as though we were married."

"I won't let this go through," Michael stated simply.

"And what are you going to do to stop me, little boy?" Sugou sneered. "You know, when Argus folded, RCT took over, and that means we're the ones keeping the SAO survivors alive. So tell me, is it wrong for me to ask for some compensation after all my hard work?" He reached down and took a deep sniff of Asuna's hair.

Then something happened that took Sugou several seconds to comprehend. Michael had reached over with blinding speed to grab Sugou's windpipe, and was now choking him mercilessly. "Make no mistake, you vulture," he hissed. "Two things. First of all, Asuna is not 'compensation'. Second, I'll kill you if that's what it takes to stop the wedding. Her heart belongs to Kazuto, and no one else. I plan to protect their love as long as I need to." With that, he let go of the arrogant man, who began to heave in massive lungful's of air.

When he had regained his breath, he rubbed his throat while glaring at his attacker, who returned the look. "Good luck trying to do that when we're in America," he said. "My work is taking me there in a week. Asuna is coming with me, and I doubt that you can follow us that far in order to stop our wedding."

"There won't be a wedding," Michael growled. "Mark my words, Sugou. If Asuna doesn't wake up within the week, you're a dead man."

In all his life, no one had ever treated Sugou this way. No one had dared talk back to him, let alone assault and threaten him. His lips curled into a snarl as he said, "Then I'll make sure to pack a little gift for you the next time we meet."

"I look forward to it, Snake," Michael said with a dangerous smile. Sugou left.

* * *

Michael was sitting alone in his room- or more correctly, Kazuto's room, when Suguha came in to check on him. She had found out recently that he had trouble falling asleep, so she often brought him warm tea to help him fall asleep.

Normally, he was laying on the bed, already under the covers, but this time, he was sitting in a meditative posture, eyes closed. She wondered if she should leave him, but his voice stopped her. "Don't go."

"Are… are you all right?" she asked as she set the tea down on the desk where Kazuto's computer lay. "It's kind of cold in here…"

"Cold brings a clarity of mind," Michael replied. "But one thing remains hidden from me. I was hoping you might help me."

"Okay…?" Suguha said as she sat on the chair to face the young man.

Michael opened his eyes to reveal the depths of sadness such as Suguha had never seen before. "Why did you take me in?" he asked.

"What?" she asked back. "Is that really what's bothering you, or is there something else you wanted to talk about?"

"It's part of my confusion," the boy replied. "Please, just tell me. You owed me nothing, so why would you reach out to me like that?"

"Because… Because I do owe you, in a way," Suguha replied carefully. "You told me that you saved my Big Brother a lot in SAO. And I didn't want you to have to deal with the world after you'd been through so much in Aincrad."

"I… thank you," Michael said the barest of smiles, though his eyes remained inexplicably sad. "You really do remind me of Kazuto."

"Really?" Suguha asked.

"Yes," Michael nodded. "You're both willing to go to extremes to help others. And I'm sure that if you had been in Aincrad, you would have been one of the best players in the entire game because of that."

"Thanks… But did you want to talk about what else is bothering you?"

"No, I don't," Michael with a shake of his head. "But thank you for offering to listen. Good night, Suguha."

Okay," she sighed. "Good night, Michael. I hope the tea helps you sleep."

* * *

The next morning, Michael was deep in thought as he opened his internet. _If I have to, I really will kill Sugou,_ he decided. _But there _has_ to be a way to wake up Asuna from her coma before I have to resort to that._

He was about to research ways to wake people- especially loved ones- from a coma, when he noticed that he had a message alert. Curious, he clicked on the message, surprised to see that it was from Agil. Even more strange, the title was 'You NEED to see this!'

Opening the message, he saw that there was a file attached. When he opened it, he nearly fell out of his chair in shock. There, on his screen, was what looked like Asuna in a two-piece white dress, trapped in what looked like a cage set in a stone cavern. It was a black-and-white photo, which puzzled him, but there was no mistaking who it was.

"What in the world…?" Then he was fairly flying down the stairs, stopping only to grab his backpack and put on his shoes. He needed to know what was going on, and he needed to know _now_.

* * *

**Asuna: Hey! Why'd Kirito and I get taken off of the official character roster?!**

**Kirito: Uh... I think has something to do with the fact that we're gonna be in a coma for most of this arc.**

**Mataras: Bingo. And since these off-screen scenes have been so popular with the other stories I've been writing, I figured I'd start putting the segment in here, too. This way you'll still get screen time by technicality.**

**Kirito: Oh, uh... Thanks?**

**Mataras: Oh come on! You guys are my favorite anime couple! I can't cut you out completely! Besides, I changed the description so that you guys are still honorable mentions.**

**Asuna: Aw, I didn't know you cared that much, Mataras.**

**Mataras: Just don't let it get to your head. In any case, just a reminder to the readers that this story has now been moved to the crossover section. Hopefully you guys can still find us, and if not, well, I'd hope that some of the readers would be kind enough to tell others where the story moved to. Until next time, farewell friends!**

**Kirito: Next time, we'll see Mataras dive into Element Six Online for the first time ever! See you then!**

**Asuna: Bye, guys!**


	18. Linked Hearts

**A/N: Hello again, my readers! Thank you all for continuing to wait for this new chapter, which comes with several announcements. First of all, if someone named JoshThePoser messages you, just thought I'd like to let you know that he is actually one of the people that helped build the world of my IRL novels- and for those of you that have read Dragon Roar already, you might know him as Othniel.**

**Secondly, I want to make an honorable mention of Northern Warrior, who has made the very first fanfiction out of my book series! It won't have anything to with my characters, but it is in the same world setting, and it is very well written, Please do him, myself, and yourselves a favor by reading his story, Requiem of the Drachenkaiser!**

**Third, I made an intro video that I posted on YouTube, just for you guys, the readers of the Red Swordsman! I worked really hard on it! A few of you have already watched- and praised- this video! Please go watch it before you read this chapter, it will really get you in the mood! (It is my first video, though, so please be nice as it's not in the greatest quality in terms of the video clips used). Please message me so I can send you the link to it, or just go get it off of my profile because the filter prevents me from putting up a link to the video in the chapter. **

* * *

Linked Hearts

"All right, what's the deal?" Michael said as he walked in the door to Agil- or more correctly, Andrew Gilbert's- bar, called the Dicey Café. He strode over to the bar and promptly sat in a stool as the bartender looked at him in surprise.

"Hey man, you're early," he said as he grabbed a glass and started cleaning it. "I wasn't expecting ya for another hour or so."

"Well, I'm here now," Michael replied impatiently. "So you might as well tell me what was up with that picture you sent."

"Yeah…" Andrew said as he winced slightly. "Reason I was gonna wait on that was cos Sachi said she was gonna come on over, too."

"Ah," Michael muttered, understanding now. "Still, you might as well-" He was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. The two of them turned to see Sayuri walking in briskly, a smile on her face. "Hello, Sister," Michael said as he greeted her with a hug. "How is your rehabilitation coming along?"

"I'm doing pretty well, but look at you!" she said as she let go and poked his stomach teasingly. "You're already getting some pretty solid muscle in there."

"Let's just say that the doctors and I disagreed on how hard I should push myself," he grinned. Then the smile was gone as he turned back to face Andrew. "All right, now that my sister is here, perhaps you can explain to us what exactly is going on."

"Alright, here ya go," the older man said as Sayuri sat down beside her brother. He slapped down a pair of pictures in front of the two 'adopted' siblings. Michael was already familiar with one of them- it was the one of Asuna that he had seen before on the email. It was in black and white, and it was pixelated, but it was still easy to identify her. Her expression was one of great sadness, and Michael's fist clenched as he swore to himself that whoever was the one responsible would pay dearly for this.

The second picture was new to him, but he still recognized the person in it. There, in a similar prison to Asuna's, was Kirito. His face was one of mixed rage and desperation, as he fiercely gripped the bars of his prison. Again, the sight filled Michael with fury. "Where were these taken?" he demanded sharply. Sayuri placed a calming hand on his own clenched fist, so he forced himself to relax a bit.

"That's the part that's gonna take a bit of explaining," Andrew said as he reached behind the counter again. This time, instead of a photo, a game case slipped into Michael's hand. Picking it up, the cover depicted six warriors, each of a different color armor, with absolutely no flesh exposed. They were standing one what appeared to be a sea of silver liquid, and they each had a different pair of weapons. "Those photos were taken in this game."

"Element Six Online," he muttered as he turned it over. "Enter the World of the… Bionicle?" He looked up at Andrew with flat eyes. "You _cannot_ be serious," he deadpanned.

"Brother, show some respect!" Agil glowered. "I used to play with those things and followed the story as a kid! And if you ever bothered to read the story, you'd know it's pretty hardcore stuff in there. Not to mention, player killin' is pretty damn common- almost encouraged, even."

"Hmph…" he muttered as he scanned the game case further. On it were a number of islands on a vast ocean, each one different shapes and sizes. _Wait… _His eyes suddenly narrowed sharply as one item in particular caught his attention. _RCT progress?!_ His mind flashed back to his confrontation with Sugou, in which the man had talked about he was in control of part of RCT progress, particularly the bit concerning the SAO survivors. His teeth ground furiously as he thought to himself, _Sugou, you blasted piece of garbage! So help me, if I run into you again, I _will_ kill you if I find out that you have something to do with this!_

"Brother?" Sayuri asked as she looked at Michael's face. "What's wrong?" As briefly as possible, he recounted his visit to Asuna's room, finishing with his theory about Nobuyuki possibly having something to do with the comatose SAO players.

"I would agree with you, man, you know I would," Andrew said with a frown. "But it's all just too circumstantial. If we brought this up to the cops, they'd just think we're crazy."

"I know," Michael said as he placed his face in his hands. "So do you want to get to the part where you tell us where they might be in the game?"

"Thought you'd ask that," Andrew smirked. He pointed at the island on the center of the map that the game case had. "That's the island where the photo was taken."

"Why are they in black and white?" Sayuri said with a frown. "This game seems to be pretty high-definition, so what happened?"

"Okay, so in the game, there's a lot of stuff different from SAO," Andrew replied, all business now. "For starters, it's skill based, not level based. And there aren't any sword skills, either. The game lets you have total free range of motion, kinda like your Dragon Blood, Mataras."

"Interesting," the boy muttered. "Keep going."

"Well, in this game, there's six different kinds of warriors y'all can pick from," Andrew said as he flipped the case back to the front. "There's fire, water, ice, air, earth, and stone. And then in addition to those elemental powers, there's a load of masks that let ya have additional powers. Shielding, flyin', mega-strength, speed, and so on. Thing is, just like in SAO, there are items that _everybody_ wants. 'Cept in this case, they all want these unique masks instead of skills and swords."

"Why's that?" Sayuri asked with a cocked head. "And how rare are these unique masks?"

"Only one for each island," the big merchant said as he flipped the game over again to let them look at the map. "Six islands total in this game, and six masks that can basically make ya invincible. And that's where Kirito and Asuna come in."

"Let me guess," Michael interrupted. "They are being held near one of these masks?"

"Bingo," Andrew nodded, his expression serious. "One of the masks in the game lets ya have X-ray vision. Thing is, if you get the upgraded version, you can share the ability with your party members. And if somebody else has the same mask, you can increase your powers. So a group a five friends tried to find an alternate route into the volcano where the Mask of Light is supposed to be."

"An alternate route?" Sayuri frowned.

"Oh, yeah, my bad," Andrew grinned sheepishly. "Let me backtrack a bit." He pointed at a volcano in the middle of the island he had indicated earlier. "There's a temple dedicated to this guy named Mata Nui. He's kinda like their god or somethin' like that in the game. Anyway, the temple has the only way in and out of the volcano, and the quest is only available once a year. You gotta have these golden masks to get in that are only awarded to the tournament winners. Last year, an army of players tried to have a crack at it, but they were wiped out. So those guys that took that picture were tryin' to find a way 'round the quest."

"An army?" Michael said with a raised eyebrow. "How many players are we talking?"

"Think it was somethin' like fifty or sixty of 'em," Andrew shrugged. "The thing is, the only way to get the key to the temple is by winnin' a tournament that's held once a year during the American holiday, Thanksgiving. The company is actually based in America, which is why they picked that time a year to do it- lot a folks are off work, and they can get a bigger entry rate for the battle royal." Michael again recalled how Sugou said that he would be moving to America in a week- six days from now. _Time is running out_.

"So the tournament is being held in a few days?" he asked with a frown.

"Yup," Andrew nodded. "Figured you'd wanna know. I was thinkin' y'all could maybe try and get in on the tournament, or at least try and sign up for the raid party after that. The prereq's start tomorrow."

"Oh no," Michael said as he shook his head. "If I'm going in there, I'll be going in to win. If Asuna and Kirito might be in that volcano, I could care less about some mask or other. I'll be going in for them- my family. And when I take on that volcano quest, it'll let me through if it knows what's good for it."

"I'm going with you," Sayuri declared. "I'm a Black Cat, too."

Michael looked at her with some surprise. "But… That's the virtual world. I thought you never wanted to go back." Shortly after their hospital release, Michael had convinced Kikuoka to let him and his sister keep their NerveGears. Sayuri had given her helmet to Michael, saying that she wanted nothing to do with it ever again. But now…

"I don't want to go back in," she admitted with a slight shudder. "But if my family is in there, I'll… I'd never forgive myself if I let this opportunity slip by." Michael's gaze softened as he realized what a big leap of courage she was taking.

"I'm proud of you," he said with a rare smile. "You're a very brave person, Sister."

"Not half as brave as you," she grinned weakly. "You were technically killed by the last VRMMO that we were in, and you are, ready to jump in without even thinking twice about it."

"Just a couple more things, you two," Andrew cautioned with a frown. "If you can get some friends in on the raid, do it. Apparently, that army was wiped out by a set of six bosses that appeared at the same time. One of 'em survived- the guy that had won the tournament- but he was killed by a seventh boss before he could even see it."

"Hmph," Michael snorted. "At least they didn't stay dead. People these days are spoiled when it comes to virtual reality."

"Actually…" The way that Andrew hesitated sent a chill down Michael and Sayuri's spines. "This one's more of a rumor 'n anythin', but apparently there's a player runnin' around, callin' himself 'Death Kanoka."

"Kanoka?" Michael repeated.

"Yeah," Andrew nodded. "There's a whole bunch a different kinds of projectiles in the game. One variety is called a Kanoka disk. Picture a metal Frisbee that launched from a high-powered device. If it just hits on its own, that's hurt enough. But each one can have a different effect on ya, like the masks in the game. In fact, crafters actually use Kanoka disks to make masks that they wanna customize themselves."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Michael demanded sharply.

"This guy, 'Death Kanoka', has been rumored to shoot people with a black disk in-game," Andrew said with a hard glare in his eyes as he looked straight at Michael. "And then they turn up dead days later with an amusphere on their heads. Wasn't cos of microwaves, though."

"Amusphere?" Michael repeated.

"It's what replaced NerveGear on the market. Thing is, the autopsies said that these gamers died from heart failure," Andrew replied with a frown. "Doesn't make any sense to me, cos the Amusphere has nuthin' to do with your heart."

"It doesn't matter to me," Michael declared. "I faced death on a regular basis in Aincrad. If this Death Kanoka character decides to pick a fight with me, it will just have to be too bad for him. Nothing is keeping me from my brother and sister. However…" He turned to look at Sayuri, who looked very pale. "I'd rather it if you stayed out this, Sister."

"I know you do," she said as she took a deep breath. "But I can't let you go in there knowing that you might be in actual danger again. Not alone, anyway. I'm coming with you."

"All right. I understand." And he stood up while grabbing the game case. "I assume you'll let me borrow this for a week or so?" he asked as he looked at Andrew.

"Yeah," the older man said.

"Good," Michael said as he slid the game into his pack. "Now I just need the new hardware for it…"

"Actually, it's compatible with what we have," Sayuri said. "The amusphere is basically a newer NerveGear with higher security."

"Good, then," Michael nodded. "Since your NerveGear is at my place, do you want to come with me for today, Sayuri?"

"Sure," she said as she forced a smile. "I just need to let my mom know. She probably won't mind since she's at work today anyways." And she moved off to make a phone call.

Michael re-approached the bar to grasp forearms with Andrew. "Thank you for all of your help."

"Don't worry 'bout it," Andrew grinned. "Just come back safe with those two, ya hear?"

"Of course," Michael grinned wolfishly. "And once I'm done thrashing this game, I think we should have a party to celebrate. What say you?"

"Sounds good to me," the bartender nodded. "See you then, Mataras."

"Farewell, Agil," Michael said as he headed out the door to join Sayuri.

* * *

They walked around to the back of the house to see Suguha sitting on the porch, eating a muffin, her usual afternoon snack. "Hello there, Suguha," Michael said as he approached.

"Oh!" she bolted upright and swallowed her snack. "Hi, Michael! Hi, Sayuri! Whatcha guys up to? Want me to make us some more muffins?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something important first," Michael said as he sat down, indicating for the others to do the same. When Suguha saw the intense look on his face, she frowned slightly and sat down beside him, even as Sayuri sat on the other side of her brother. The girl looked to be afraid of something, Suguha thought worriedly.

"Suguha… Have you heard of a game called Element Six Online?" Michael said as he looked at her with the same intense gaze. Her eyes widened in shock, and her hands flew to her mouth on instinct. "That seems pretty definitive," Michael said with a raised eyebrow. "How do you know about it?"

"I, uh…" Suguha tried to think of some way to stall, but none came to her. Finally she sighed and slumped her shoulders as she said, "Okay, remember how I was asking you about VRMMO's yesterday? And that I had something to show you?"

"Yes…" Michael answered, his suspicions growing.

"It's because… Well… Okay, I'll just say it: I play ESO pretty often, actually." Suguha cringed inwardly as she readied herself for whatever Michael might say next. But what came next was definitely unexpected.

"Well, then," Michael said with a grim smile. "I- We need your help."

"Who?" She felt very confused.

"The Moonlit Black Cats," Sayuri said quietly. "Michael, Asuna, Kazuto, and me. We all need your help now."

"Okay, you lost me," Suguha said with a frown. "What do you need my help with?"

"To put it bluntly, we think that Kazuto, Asuna, and three hundred other Aincrad survivors have somehow been captured inside of Element Six Online," Michael said, deadpan. "Specifically, on the island of Mata Nui."

"Wha…?" Suguha gasped. "How-? What-? I don't get it!" Michael sighed and again recounted his encounter with Sugou, this time adding the conversation that he and Sayuri had with Andrew. When he was done, Suguha was very pale with shock. "I don't…" she said in a whisper. "How could anyone do something like that?"

"I don't know, and I don't care," Michael said with fire in his eyes. "But Sayuri and I are logging into Element Six Online to enter in the tournament that is coming up. Can you help us out, Suguha?"

"I…" She stammered. Then she saw Sayuri's face, scared but determined. Even though she had faced death in a virtual reality, she was going to go in and face her fears for the sake of her brother and sister. _Big brother…_ She thought sadly. Then she firmed her chin and said, "I'm in. I'll help you, for Kazuto's sake."

"Thanks, Suguha," Michael smiled appreciatively.

"Don't thank me yet," she cautioned. "You're not the only friend of mine that's going for the tournament's grand prize."

"Yes, well, they're in for quite the beating," Sayuri grinned. "I've never once seen Michael lose to anybody."

"Neither has my friend," Suguha grinned back. "I'll introduce you later tonight, though. Sound okay to you guys?"

"Aye," Michael nodded as he cracked his knuckles. "I look forward to it."

* * *

He was in Kazuto's room, with the door closed. Michael and Sayuri both had their NerveGears plugged in, and the cartridge loaded, though Sayuri was in Suguha's room. They had agreed to rendezvous in Le-Koro, where Suguha had an apartment.

As Michael placed the helmet on his head, he took a deep breath to steady his nerves. _Once, you led me through a gate to the other side, where you held me captive and also kept me alive,_ he thought as he closed his eyes. _Now I ask that you grant me the strength I once had, one last time. For the sake of my family._

"Link, start!"

* * *

Much like the start to Sword Art Online, Michael had the feeling of falling down a long tunnel. Unlike the old game, however, this tunnel was made up of a broad spectrum of colors instead various shades of blue interlaced with lightning. Then the calibration was before him, confirming that his five senses were properly coordinated.

Everything went dark for a moment, then the darkness around him lit up, and he was in a black room lit up by an orange grid and six holographic maps. "Welcome, player, to Element Six Online," a female voice called out from above. "Please enter your avatar information."

A menu appeared before him, one appearing very much like the one in Aincrad. He then hesitated over the name that he would give himself in this new world. Finally, he entered 'Mataras' with a dark smile. _This time I _will_ aim to kill whoever is responsible for their suffering. I _am_ the Red Swordsman._

Next came customizing the human avatar's appearance. From what Suguha had told him, people often removed their armor in safe zones, and then they would appear as whatever identity they had crafted for themselves, though in the new games, your gender remained fixed to your real-life one to avoid embarrassing situations for some players. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of making his appearance resemble that of his in the real world, but then he decided against it. _This isn't Aincrad, so I think I'll just indulge a little bit,_ he smiled to himself.

He kept his face mostly the same, the only real changes being that he made his hair shorter and a lighter color so that instead of being jet black and obscuring part of his face, it was dark brown and coming only down to his eyebrows. His eye color was also altered to be closer to a hazel shade instead of the dark brown that had terrified many of his enemies in the past.

All in all, his appearance was of a gentler nature, which is exactly what he wanted. _If my enemies underestimate me, it will be the last thing that they do_, he thought as he confirmed the settings. Now the maps surrounding him suddenly drew closer, close enough for him to touch.

"Please select your home island," the voice from above said. Michael looked hard at each one until he found the one that Andrew had been telling him about. He touched it, and the voice returned to say, "You have selected the island of Mata Nui, home of the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva. Please select your elemental familiar."

Six armored figures appeared before him- the ones on the front cover of the game case, he realized. He didn't have to look long to decide on which element he wanted to be. Reaching out, he touched the figure in red and orange armor. "You have selected the Toa of Fire," the voice said. "Please choose a basic mask to start your journey."

He scowled- this customization was taking longer than he had expected. A set of six masks appeared like the options before them, and he frowned harder, now wishing that he had asked Suguha or Andrew for advice on which mask to get before diving in. Sighing to himself, he selected the one that he had seen the red Toa wearing on the cover of the game, a helmet-like artifact with large eyes, and three gashes on each cheek.

"You have selected the Kanohi Hau, the mask of shielding," the voice said. "Are all of these settings correct?" He hit 'yes' as soon as the option appeared. "You will now be transported to your home village of Ta-Koro. Good luck, player!"

_Wait, Ta-Koro?!_ He thought with a start of surprise. _I'm supposed to be at Le-Koro… Oh dear._ There was no way to retrace his steps now. The darkness suddenly erupted into fire all around him, and he took a fighting stance out of instinct. Before him, a mask like the one he had chosen formed out of the flames and began to speak.

"Faithful warrior, Mata Nui needs you," a deep, almost sonorous voice said from the mask. "A shadow _threatens_ his heart. Prove yourself a worthy Toa, and fear not. The Great Spirit shall guide you in ways you could not imagine." A stream of fire blazed from the mask and shot into Michael.

He gasped in shock as he felt armor surround his body. A mask appeared atop his face, and a sword was formed on his back. Then the fires throughout the entire room converged on him, obscuring his vision. When it was gone, he found himself standing in a swamp.

* * *

"What in the blazes?" Mataras muttered, looking around for any sign of a village. "Where am I? I thought I this thing was supposed to drop me inside Ta-Koro or something?" He decided to open his menu to see if there was a map function. He swiped down with his right hand, using his pointer and index finger. Nothing happened, and he nearly had a heart attack

He tried twice more, and if he had blood in him in this world, he knew it would have drained from his face to leave him even paler than he already was. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Once he did, he was struck by an idea so obvious, he almost slapped his own face. He repeated the motion once more, this time with his left hand. To his relief, the menu opened this time.

Manipulating it with familiar ease, he sought out the logout button, and was immensely relieved to see that it was there this time. "Thank God," he sighed in relief. Unfortunately, he did not see any map data, which was frustrating, but something else quickly caught his attention. As he scrolled through his options, he was surprised to see that all of his skills and stats except for Dragon Blood from Sword Art Online were still on his menu. _What is going on here?!_

His inbox already had a message in it. Curious, he opened it and once again had the sensation of feeling that his heart had stopped. The message was from Kirito. Opening it, he read aloud, "Mataras, my time is limited before a guard comes back, and they said something earlier about fixing my status. Doesn't sound good. I don't know if I'll be able to send you another message without getting caught, so this is it. Asuna and I are trapped in this new place, but we don't know who did it yet. Whoever they are, make them pay for trapping Asuna inside another world. And take care of Yui for me. –Your Brother, Kirito."

_Take care of Yui?_ He wondered. Then he saw it. A game object labelled 'MCHP-001' was attached to the bottom of the message, and he selected it so that it would pop into his hand. He was surprised to see a small, teardrop-shaped diamond appear in his hand. _What does this thing do?_ He touched it with his other hand and was blinded by a flash of light.

He stepped back, then forced himself to look at the source of the light. His jaw dropped as he beheld a sight that could only be described as _angelic_. In the midst of the glow, floating with her eyes closed as though she were asleep, was Yui Kirigaya. The adopted daughter of Kirito and Asuna, and the former AI program designed to assist people's mental health in the word of Aincrad. She looked exactly as Mataras remembered her.

"Yui?" he said as she opened her eyes slowly. "Yui, do you recognize me?"

The little girl cocked her head as she said, "Your voice… I know it, yes."

_Why does she not recognize me?_ He wondered with a frown. Then he had it. _Oh, the armor- she's never seen me like this before._ With that in mind, he went into his inventory as Yui touched down to the earth. Finding the equipment slots, he removed all of his armor so that Yui could see him as a human, wearing a gray shirt, jeans, and shoes.

"Uncle Mataras?" Yui gasped. Then she broke into a wide smile and flung herself at him, grabbing him around the neck as he awkwardly hugged her back. "It's so good to see you!" she laughed happily. Pulling back a bit, she added, "Did you get a haircut?"

"Something like that," he said with a grin as he set her down. "It's good to see you alive and unharmed, Yui. Do you feel alright?"

"I feel fine," Yui nodded. Looking around, she cocked her head at her surroundings. "But… where are we? And where are Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Sachi?"

"Well…" Mataras said as he scratched the back of his head. "That part might take a while to explain in detail. Suffice to say right now that we are not in Aincrad anymore. We are in another game called Element Six Online. We- Sachi and I- believe that Kirito and Asuna are trapped in this game in a manner similar to Sword Art Online."

"What?" Yui gasped. "How is that even possible? The servers logged everyone out a few minutes after you defeated Kayaba."

"I'm not sure, but I intend to find out," he assured her. "But I need your help with a few things if you're feeling up to it." When she replied that she was, he said, "All right, three things, then. Why does this place look like Sword Art Online? Why do I still have my old skills and stats from Aincrad? And how come I ended up out in the middle of nowhere instead of in Ta-Koro?"

"Hmm…" Yui closed her eyes and concentrated, saying, "I need a few seconds to assess this world." Mataras nodded and waited patiently while the girl 'listened' to the world around her. When she opened her eyes, she had a slight frown on her face. "Interesting… This world appears to have been copied over from the Sword Art Online server. This explains why the surrounding environment would look familiar to you. The cardinal system needs updating, but that's the only thing that sticks out to me."

"That actually makes sense," Mataras nodded. "A company called RCT progress took over when Argus folded, so it would seem that they simply used what suited them and then filled in the gaps."

"Yes, Yui nodded. "It also explains why your skills got carried over. Since this is essentially the same server, any data that could be carried over from SAO was ported to and merged with your new avatar information."

"Does that mean that my items are all still good?" Mataras said as he swiped open his menu and looked at his inventory. He was somewhat surprised when instead of seeing an armory appear under his fingers, an array of jumbled Japanese letterings and numbers greeted his eyes. "Wait, what?"

"Since these items don't exist in this game, they couldn't be translated over from Aincrad," Yui explained as he dug through his menu in frustration. "In fact, you should probably delete them before the error detection program finds out."

"Wait," Mataras said with a slight frown. "Then what is this?" His finger hovered over an item that he did not recognize, but had a usable status. It read 'MCHP-002'. "Yui, do you know what this is?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "But if I had to guess, I would think that it's some kind of program." He nodded absently in agreement as he tried to understand what exactly had been put in his inventory.

"Hmm…" he mused, curious. He summoned the item to his hand, and was surprised when another gem appeared in his hand, although this time it was colored a fiery red. "Now what are you?" he muttered as he tapped it, just as he had with Yui's crystal. "_Who_ are you?" This time, instead of a gentle, soothing light, fire blazed from the crystal, causing Yui to squeal and hide behind Mataras, who took a ready stance, despite the fact that he had no armor on.

When the flames faded, a young boy stood there, with short brown hair, streaked with dull red highlights. He looked to be about Yui's age, but when he opened his hazel eyes to look up at Mataras, they exuded an aura of wisdom and patience beyond his years. "Hello, Mataras," he said, startling the young man. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Forgive me, but I do not recognize you," Mataras frowned. "Would you mind telling me who you are?"

"Not at all," the boy shook his head. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you fail to recognize me, seeing as the last time we stood face-to-face, I wasn't in the form of a small boy. I was a mighty dragon, one that you relied on in combat quite often if memory serves."

Mataras' jaw dropped, a rare thing. "L-Litrosh?!" he sputtered.

"In the flesh," the boy grinned. "Or rather, in the virtual data that resembles flesh."

"How is this possible?" Yui asked as she stepped out from behind her uncle. "I thought that you would have died when SAO was deleted."

"And I would have, if not for Akihiko Kayaba," Litrosh nodded. "When the destruction of Aincrad began, he took my data and did something with it… I do not fully understand what happened, but from what he told me, I am now an AI with similar abilities to Yui. Though I do believe that in this game, our influence is somewhat limited here as opposed to her administrator privileges back in Aincrad."

"What do you mean by that?" Mataras asked.

"He's right," Yui nodded. "I no longer have my administrator privileges, and I can't even look at a player's data unless I come into direct contact with them, much less anticipate their mental state. Here, the game is classifying us as something closer to what Litrosh was to you in the world of Sword Art Online."

"What, like a familiar?" Mataras asked he cocked his head. In response, both AI glowed brightly. From Yui came the sound of rushing water, and from Litrosh, a roaring flame. When the glow had faded, Mataras was surprised to see two smaller biomechanical beings where his niece and familiar had once stood.

Litrosh was now clad in red-and-silver armor, and on his back was a jetpack. In his hands, a pair of sharp swords rested, ready for action. On his face was a red mask that Mataras had not seen before. Yui appeared to be similarly equipped, but with blue instead of red, and slimmer swords in hand, though her jetpack matched Litrosh's.

"This is what the game has us classified as," Litrosh said. "A special type of matoran known as 'Av-Matoran', which can aid the Toa in this game by fusing to their backs, increasing their elemental powers."

"Having one of you on my back during a sword fight sounds a little awkward," Mataras remarked as he looked them over. "No offense meant."

"None taken," Litrosh shrugged. "I would imagine that most people use their powers at a distance anyways."

"Uncle Mataras?' Yui asked.

"Yes, Yui?"

"Remember how you asked about why you ended up in the middle of the swamp?" she asked as she used her jetpack to hover up at his eye level. "Well, I'm allowed to access the area maps, and I just found out that we're actually close to a village called Le-Koro."

"Le-Koro?" he repeated. "That's actually a good thing. I'm supposed to meet up with your Aunt Sachi and another friend there."

"Did this person log in near to you in the real world?" Litrosh asked.

"Yes, why?"

"It's likely that since they have been playing the game longer than you, her location data was more securely set than yours," Yui replied. "When you logged in together, her data likely joined yours during the time that you were being connected to the internet via the IP address."

"So since Sachi and I logged in with another person, they should be nearby?" Mataras asked hopefully.

"It's likely, but we have been here for some time now," Yui said with a shake of her head. "They may have moved on without even knowing that you were here."

"Ah," he scowled. "Well, since you two have the map, would you mind showing me the way to Le-Koro? Maybe I can find the others there."

"Aye aye!" Yui giggled as she jetted up a little higher. "We need to start heading east by north-east." Mataras nodded and reequipped his armor before he began walking.

"Mataras," Litrosh said as he hovered next to his former master on the left. "I look forward to fighting alongside you again. From the look in your eye, I can tell that we aren't just in a game. It's more than that again, is it not?"

"You are right, old friend," Mataras said as he leaped up onto a tree. Walking in the swamp was too slow, he decided. And he wanted to see what this new avatar was capable of. "Sword Art Online is not over yet. Not by a long shot. I'll fill you in on the way- if you can keep up, that is." And with that, he leaped off the branch he had perched on and grabbed a vine on the next one so that he could sling himself onward.

"No one outraces a dragon," Litrosh grinned, glad to see that Mataras hadn't changed. Increasing the power on his pack, he zoomed through the trees to catch up, followed closely by Yui, who smiled happily with exhilaration.

* * *

By the time they ran into other players, Litrosh had an understanding of what was at stake. He only stopped once when Yui reminded him to delete his items. While he did that, the two AI had managed to explain to Mataras that while some parts of the server in ESO needed updating, one part that had been upgraded splendidly was the amount of data that the game could both receive and send to the brain. This meant that all five senses were greatly improved, but perhaps most importantly, it also allowed players to essentially think what they wanted their elemental powers to do, and as long as they had enough energy points, the system would obey.

Mataras was incredibly impressed that people would go so far with such detail just for a game. _Then again, the virtual world takes all kinds_, he thought. The other thing that they explained to him- though he had already gathered as much from his conversation with Andrew- was that although his passive skills from Aincrad were still enabled (except for Dragon Blood), his attack skills were no longer available to him.

_I suppose it is a good thing that I managed to hold to my NerveGear_, he thought. _This way, I'm not starting out from total scratch. I do look forward to-_ His thoughts were interrupted by a scream and a massive _bang_ that resounded throughout the forest.

It was so loud and so close, he mistimed his next swing, and he ended up falling and rolling down a hill that stretched for quite a ways. When he finally was able to stand up, he swayed, slightly dizzy, though he soon found himself being supported by a strong grip.

"And here I was thinking that you were as sharp as ever," Litrosh sighed. "You from two months ago never would have been caught off-guard like that."

"Oh, shut up," Mataras muttered as he cricked his neck and looked ahead of him to see a strange sight. There were three Toa backed up against a tree, one green and gold in color, another in ice-blue and white armor, and the last, sea blue in color. Facing them were three Toa in red and orange armor, all with weapons pointed at their captives. They were a bit larger and taller than their captives, so Mataras guessed that they were men, and the captives were women. And they appeared to be arguing.

His eyes narrowed at the sight, and he began advancing on the confrontation. So far, he had remained unnoticed. "Stay back, Litrosh," he muttered. "If things get to be too much for me, then you and Yui can back me up."

"Right, like that will happen," Litrosh chuckled. "I'll let her know, though." Mataras nodded his thanks and then stepped out into the evening light where everyone could see him.

"Care to explain why three big men are picking on three women?" he asked dryly.

"Huh?" the leader of the fire Toa said as he turned to face the newcomer. Then his mask broke into a smile and he said, "Hey there! Care to get in on the action? We'll get you in on the profits of you help us waste these chicks."

Mataras' grip tightened on his sword, but the other flame-user didn't notice. "Why would I do that?" he said evenly. "You seem to have everything in hand."

"Hey, Kagemune?" one of the others said. "I think he's a renegade."

"Or he's a noob," the third one said with a chuckle. "Hey, new guy? If you're not gonna help us, then get outta here. But just so you know, it's bad to turn your back on your own kind."

"True…" Mataras nodded slowly. The girls shot him glares of disgust, but he ignored them. "But I'll have you know that it's a lot worse for anyone to make an enemy out of me under any circumstance." The boy smirked and stretched out his armored hand. Less than a moment later, a blast of fire flew from his palm to strike his opponent's chest and explode, smashing him into a tree. _Not bad, actually._ His sword was taken off of his back and he grinned confidently at the other fire-users. "Who else wants some from a renegade?" he taunted.

The man that he had attacked, the one that called him a renegade, yelled angrily as he leaped off the ground and used a set of small jets attached to his body to launch himself at Mataras, spear aiming for his heart. The girls watching all flinched, as they knew what was coming next.

But as things tend to proceed with Mataras, things took an unexpected turn as soon as he made contact. His sword spun in an arc across his back as he deflected the spear thrust. Then, even faster than that, he whipped the blade around to slash his opponent in half. The man went up in fire, and all that remained of him was a floating red stone.

Mataras turned slowly, theatrically, from his kill with a dark smile on his lips to face everyone else, who had surprised expressions on their faces. "So…" he said as he raised his blade again. "Do you ladies mind if I finish off this sorry bunch?"

"Go ahead," the one in green muttered as the two remaining fire Toa hovered on leg-mounted jets. "It's not like they'll let you walk away alive now anyway."

"Then sit back and enjoy the show," he smiled wider. "Be careful, though. The first three rows are a splash zone." With that, he darted forward, sword ready to kill.

* * *

**Kirito: Aw man! You're just gonna cut it off there?! We were about to get to the good part!**

**Mataras: Wow, even when you're trapped in a cage, all you wanna do is see a good fight.**

**Asuna: Actually, I think he'd rather be in the fight himself.**

**Mataras: True.**

**Kirito: I can hear you, ya know...**

**Mataras: I know. I just don't care.**

**Asuna: Mataras, what would Sachi say?**

**Mataras: I'm sorry!**

**Asuna: That's better. Now, we should say goodbye, and hope that people will leave reviews like they have been!**

**Kirito: I think Mataras has been pretty pumped about the number of people that have been leaving reviews and messaging him lately.**

**Mataras: You know it! Until next time, folks!**

**Kirito/Asuna: Bye!**


	19. The Grand Quest of Mata Nui

**A/N: Last time, I left you guys with a cliffhanger- but no, I won't apologize for it! Cliffhangers are half what keeps you guys coming back to read more! Please be sure message me or leave a review after you read! Without further ado, let's see Mataras back in action, this time as a Toa of Fire!**

**Also, make sure to check out the video link on my profile to get in the mood for this story. It has gotten good reviews so far, so please check it out!**

* * *

The Grand Quest of Mata Nui

Mataras sword blazed with fire as he charged forward and slashed at the other lackey, melting through even his fire-resistant armor and cutting him in half. Like his companion before him, he exploded with fire, leaving behind a glowing red stone. He turned around to face the last fire-user, a smile still on his mask. "You want to have at it?"

"No thanks," the man said with negative shake of his head. "I'm just about to max out my elemental power bar, and I'd rather not die just yet."

"And you three?" Mataras said as he looked over at the three female Toa. "Do you want to take him out?"

"Can we please not?" the one in blue said with a voice that Mataras thought he recognized. "I'd really rather just go on to Le-Koro."

"Ergh…" the green one muttered. "All right. But next time, you're going down, do you hear me?!" Again, her voice sounded familiar, and Mataras was starting to suspect why.

"Well, then next time I'll just bring along more friends," the man said as he started to take off. He was halted in midair by the Toa of Ice whipping out a crossbow from her back and firing a pinpoint shot right underneath his crotch.

"Next time we see you, I won't miss," she said coldly. Her mask was somewhat squared in shape with a chin that jutted out, giving it an ugly appearance. Yet Mataras sensed that there was more to the mask than intimidation purposes. Her narrow eyes that glared at her enemy. The Toa of Fire took off much faster than he had before.

Mataras spun his sword in a reverse circle before he planted it on his back. "Well now, that was an exciting tutorial," he chuckled. "What do you think, Sachi?" He directed his words at the blue Toa who seemed to have basic starting equipment.

"I thought that was you after you took out that first guy!" the girl said as she broke into a smile and hugged her brother. "I'm so glad you showed up!"

"Wait, is that you, Mi-" Leafa was cut off by Mataras before she revealed his whole name to her icy companion.

"Toa Mataras, at you service," he said as he laid a little extra stress on his avatar name. "Pleased to make your virtual acquaintance."

"Oh, right!" the green Toa said as she realized that she had nearly revealed his real name. Her mask- a sleek and streamlined helmet-like piece with two small, straight horns that jutted out from either side of her chin- bore an expression of surprise and embarrassment. "I'm Toa Leafa. Thanks for coming to help us when you did."

"My pleasure," he chuckled. "And who might your frosty friend be?"

"My name is Sinon, and if you call me that again, I'll shoot you in the nostril," the Toa of Ice said with a smoldering gaze. "Leafa, who is this guy, and why are you acting like buddies with him?"

"Relax, I know him in real life," Leafa said easily. "He's the other one that I told you about, remember?"

"Then why is he a fire-spitter?" Sinon demanded sharply.

"You got a problem with my avatar, Snow Angel?" Mataras said as he took a step forward.

"Whoa, easy there, Big Brother," Sachi said as she held him back.

"Listen to your friend," Sinon said smugly. "Because if you ever call me _that_ again, I'll shoot where the sun doesn't shine." In response, Mataras' warrior blood began to boil.

He drew his sword again and fire sprang from it. "Let's see you try it, Ice Queen," he snapped. "Because if you threaten me again, I will _end_ you."

"Mataras…" Sachi said warningly, her triangular mask's eyebrow's bending downward. "You're talking to one of the best players in the game. Making her angry is a very bad move."

"Making me angry is worse move," he scowled. Then he put away his weapon and looked at Leafa, who was looking decidedly nervous. "I assume that this is your friend that is going to enter the tournament?"

"Y-Yeah," the emerald-armored Toa nodded. "We'll be going over to get her registered for the tournament tomorrow. Tonight I figured that you'd wanna get familiar with the game so you aren't totally out of your depth tomorrow."

"I've yet to see Mataras in a situation where he seems out of his depth," Litrosh said as he and Yui jetted over to his side. "And I've certainly never seen him lose in a fight."

"Whoa!" Leafa exclaimed as Sinon stiffened with surprise. "Are those Av-Matoran?!"

"You could say that," Mataras nodded. "Meet Yui and Litrosh."

"Yui?!" Sachi gasped at the hovering blue matoran. "Is that you?!"

"Hi, Aunt Sachi!" the little girl giggled as she hovered over to embrace her adopted aunt. "You look really cool like that!"

"Aw, thanks!"

"Wait, Aunt?" Sinon said as she stepped up beside Leafa. "Why does she call her that?"

"To shorten a long story, it will suffice to say that Yui and Litrosh have been through enough with Sachi and I for us to consider one another family," Mataras replied evenly. "If it will satisfy your curiosity, they are two AI constructs from another game that translated over to this game in this form."

"But how did Litrosh come over like Yui did?" Sachi asked, confused.

"I'll tell you later," Mataras answered. "Right now, we need to get to a safe zone where we can speak without wondering if we're going to be ambushed."

"Yeah, you're right," Leafa nodded. "Le-Koro is about a mile to the east of here. But…" She winced as she looked at Mataras' equipment. "You can't come into town with your armor on. I'll explain the whole thing later, but right now, a Ta-Koro native walking into Le-Koro is just asking for trouble. Speaking of which, how did you end up all the way over here?!"

"The same way that Sachi did," Mataras replied, as he started walking in the direction that Leafa had indicated. "Our IP address interfered with our initial location save data."

"How did you figure that out?" Sachi asked. "I thought you weren't that good with computers like that."

"Oei!" he shot his sister a hurt look while she flashed him a smile back. "I'm not that hopeless. But if you must know, Yui came up with the idea."

"That makes a lot more sense," Litrosh chuckled.

"What is this, 'Everybody Attack Mataras Day'?" the Toa of Fire muttered sourly.

"You probably earned it," Sinon grinned.

"All right, that's it," Mataras growled. "As soon as the tournament starts, you'll be the first one that I look for."

"If I don't snipe you first," Sinon shot back. And she walked ahead of the others with a stiff back that radiated outrage.

"What, she didn't find your charming personality endearing?" Litrosh laughed.

"Shut up," Mataras muttered under his breath. "Just tell me whatever you can on her character data."

"I can only tell you what I see, not what she might be carrying in reserve," Litrosh said in the same lowered tone. "She could have another weapon on her other than that crossbow- something I deem likely. She also is likely to have other masks she can use on command. The one that she is wearing right now is the Kanohi Sanok, the great mask of accuracy."

"What are its effects?" He asked.

"Essentially, it all but guarentees that at projectile will hit its target after the lock-on effect is enabled," Litrosh answered. "Pair that rare mask with her crossbow, one of the most accurate weapons in the game, and she'll just about never miss her mark."

"So the key is to get up close and personal before she can work the distance to her advantage," Mataras muttered.

"Don't forget, she has elemental powers, too," Litrosh cautioned.

Mataras smiled in response. It wasn't a friendly smile. "All winter storms, no matter how much they howl and blow, eventually yield to the power of the sun." To that, Litrosh had no response.

* * *

Just shy of the tree line is where Mataras chose to remove his armor, along with the others, just to help him blend in. He was interested to see that Leafa's avatar looked nothing like her real-life body. She stood tall enough to almost match Mataras in height with long blond hair put up in a ponytail. Her eyes were a forest green, and she seemed far more confident in the way that she carried herself. She wore black jeans and a green hoodie for casual attire.

Turning to Sachi, he noticed that she seemed to have had similar thoughts to him in regards to how to customize her avatar. She looked virtually the same as she had in Aincrad and the real world, with a few subtle differences. The biggest changes were her hair and eye color, which were royal blue instead of midnight blue.

"Nice look, Big Brother," she grinned as she reached up and ruffled his now-shorter hair. "Giving up on the 'dark and brooding' look finally?"

"Sure, the day that dragons start eating grass," he said while he messed up her own hair.

"Some dragons do eat grass," Litrsoh interjected.

"You are not helpful!"

"I disagree!"

"Were they always like that?" Leafa asked as she leaned to talk into Sachi's ear.

"Yeah, except that Kirito and I never understood what Litrosh was saying," Sachi grinned with embarrassment.

"Kirito?" Leafa inquired.

"Oh, right," Sachi replied. "I guess we never mentioned it before, but we might as well now- in Aincrad, your brother's name was Kirito."

Leafa giggled and said, "That sounds like something he'd come up with. Talk about unoriginal!"

"Well, he may have been lacking in imagination, but he never lacked for determination," Mataras said almost to himself. The two girls realized that he had stopped arguing with Litrosh and had been listening to them. "He was the best swordsman- and friend- I ever had."

"We'll get him back, Mataras," Sachi said as she placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "I promise."

"That's my line," Mataras chuckled.

"What are you all talking about?" Sinon asked as she stepped out from behind a tree, finally done changing. The last time she had changed into her armor had been in her in-game room, and she had neglected to equip any clothes other than her underwear underneath the armor beforehand. Now she wore an ice-blue shirt underneath a military-style white jacket, topped by a white scarf that hid could hide her lower face if she ducked into it. Her pants and shoes were also white, befitting her elemental powers.

The girl herself was on the shorter side, with shoulder-length pale blue hair that she had tied into pigtails that fell on either side of her face while the rest of it hung behind her neck. Her face was pretty, with slightly narrowed eyes, slender eyebrows, and a small nose and mouth.

"Nothing of consequence," Mataras replied shortly. It had been decided among the three of them that Sinon should not know about the real reason that Mataras and Sachi were entering the tournament. There was no need to get a non-family member involved in Mataras and Sachi's opinion- they already felt bad about asking for Leafa/Suguha's help.

"Fine, whatever," Sinon muttered. "Let's just get into town. But if you cause any trouble, I'll get the whole Koro on your ass."

"Your threats are as empty as an abandoned igloo," Mataras snorted. "You are not a Toa of Air, so why should I believe that you wield any authority in the Le-Wahi district?"

"Both of you, cool it," Leafa said sternly. "Sinon, Mataras is my friend, and I trust him. He won't cause us any trouble. And Mataras, you had better stop making fun of Sinon, or _I'll_ be the one giving you grief." From the tone of her voice, Mataras assumed that her retribution would likely take place in the real world. And while he was not afraid of her…

"As you wish," he nodded. "Sinon, may I call for a truce until the tournament?"

The girl looked at him with hard eyes for a long moment as they walked before nodding and saying, "As long as you just call me Sinon and not something snow or ice related."

"Fair enough," he nodded.

They made it into the village without any major incidents. As soon as they walked a couple hundred feet into town, a high-pitched voice could be heard calling Leafa's name. The girl sighed heavily and turned around to see a short boy with light green hair approaching.

"Thank god you're okay!' he said as he finally caught up. "I knew you could beat those fire-spitting- Wait, what?! Who're these guys?!" He looked sharply at Mataras and Sachi, immediately suspicious.

"No, it's cool, Recon," Leafa reassured him. "I know them both IRL, and Mataras here saved me from those ash-makers." Mataras was tempted to glower at them both for slandering the Toa of Fire as a whole, but he kept his silence out of respect for Leafa.

"Oh, okay then," the boy said. "He shook hands with Mataras, saying, "Thanks for helping her out, Mataras." Then he turned back to Leafa, saying, "Well, Sigurd and the others are waiting for you at the usual tavern. You coming?"

"Not tonight, sorry," Leafa said as she opened her menu and sent her friend a number of items. "I've got other plans. And if I catch you using your Kanohi Huna to follow me again, I'll let Sinon use you for flying target practice."

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Recon stammered. Then he took off under the cold gaze of the sniper.

"What was that all about?" Sachi asked.

"I gave him the loot from today's hunt to go divvy up with the other party members," Leafa replied. "And the Kanohi Huna is a mask of invisibility- he tried to get into my apartment one time, supposedly to leave me a birthday present."

"Please tell me you stabbed him at least one time," Mataras muttered.

"Yup," she grinned. "Skewered him like a fish and then dropped him out the window."

* * *

And they went on their way again, Litrosh and Yui posing as small children in the company of their older companions. Litrosh was up ahead with Leafa, asking her questions about the game world, and the island of Mata Nui's politics in particular. Yui was her adorable self, holding on to Sachi's hand as they walked through the village and smiling at every stranger they passed by. Some of them seemed bewildered, but most of them smiled back at the child.

_How I wish that Kirito and Asuna could see this_, he sighed sadly to himself.

"What're you so down about?" Sinon asked as she walked beside him.

"Thoughts of a troubled mind, nothing more," Mataras replied quietly.

Sinon looked askance at him and said, "Did you swallow a theater script or something? I don't think I've heard you say one thing in improper grammar this whole time."

"I prefer to speak in a clear manner so that people do not mistake my words for anything less than what they are," Mataras replied with the ghost of a smile. "If that requires an older style of speech, then so be it."

"You're weird," Sinon muttered. "Can you say anything without pissing somebody off?"

"I'll admit that it is a rare occurrence for most people," Mataras grinned. "But I can be charming if I so choose."

"That's something I'd pay money to see," Sinon snorted as the group started filing into a restaurant. "I'll bet if I asked your sister to name the number of times she's seen you be nice to someone outside your family or friend group- if you even have one- she wouldn't be able to use both hands to count it."

"Probably," Mataras nodded in agreement, much to Sinon's surprise. She had been expecting him to react with anger again. "But it doesn't mean that I am incapable." With that, he stepped into the restaurant.

* * *

The six of them shared in a pie- or more correctly, five of the six. Mataras said that they could all have it as he was not a desert person. "So tell me about this quest and the tournament beforehand," he said after they had made some small talk. "And if you know anything about Death Kanoka."

"Well, let's start with the tourney," Leafa said after she swallowed her pie. "First of all, there are the prelims, a series of five battles that each person takes part in. You have to win all five matches, else you're disqualified. Although, if both players agree to forfeit, it doesn't count against them. After that, it's a free-for-all battle royal involving thirty or more players, depending on if there was a forfeited match in the prelims. The winner gets the masks needed to get into Kini-Nui, the temple of the Great Spirit on this island.

"The quest itself is pretty simple. You have to beat a series of bosses to get into the final chamber, where the Kanohi Avokhii is said to lie in wait. As for that Kanoka guy, I don't even know if he's real. Sounds kinda made up to me." Leafa washed her throat with some juice while Mataras mulled over the information he had just received.

"Tell me," he said after a moment. "Has anybody ever gotten one of the legendary masks in this game?"

"None so far," Sinon said with a shake of her head.

"What masks are there?" Sachi asked curiously.

"Like Leafa said before, the mask of light is here on Mata Nui," Sinon answered. "Then there's the mask of shadow which is said to lie in the deepest part of Marhi Nui, though nobody knows exactly where to find it. There's the Kanohi Olisi, a mask that supposed to let you see alternate futures, though most people think that it just lets you get to ultra-rare quests by using it.

"Then there's the mask of time, the first of the three 'fundamental force' masks, which is in the Metru Nui coliseum where you have a mission similar to this island, except that instead of a series of bosses, you have to fight an army of mobs to get to the top. Next is the mask of creation, which is supposed to be on the island Bara Nui. And finally…" Her voice lowered theatrically as she said, "There's the mask of life."

"The mask of life?" Mataras repeated.

"Yes, the Kanohi Ignika, said to be the greatest of the six masks," Leafa nodded, her eyes shining. "It's on Voya Nui, the most difficult of all the islands. Supposedly, unless you have at least one of the other legendary masks, you don't stand a chance at getting it."

"What's so special about that mask in particular?" Sachi asked with a slight frown.

"The legends say that it can give life to a new universe," Leafa replied. "Or obliterate it. Since it has the power to give life, it can take it, too."

"Too bad I don't have one of those for Sugou," Mataras muttered to himself. When the others looked at him curiously, he shook his head and said, "Thank you for the lecture, but we got off the subject at hand. I need to know if there are any restrictions on the party that goes into Kini Nui."

"None," Leafa answered. "You can take as many people as you want. Honestly, it'd be dumb to even try doing it with a small party. Did you hear about last year's party?"

"We did," Mataras nodded. "Nonetheless, Sachi and I will handle things from here on. Thank you for your help." And he stood up to leave.

"Wait, you're gonna leave _right now_?" Leafa gasped.

"I don't know about this, Mataras," Sachi said as she stood to join him. "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to head over there. We might be able to ask some more of Leafa's friends for help."

"I'm heading for the tournament, and no one is going to stop me," the boy said grimly as his two AI companions turned to leave the tavern with him. "I _will_ beat them all myself if that's what it takes."

"Wait!" Leafa cried. "Sinon is going there tomorrow anyway! We can help you, Big Brother!"

"I appreciate the offer, Leafa," he smiled as he looked back. "But I don't want to cause you any trouble. If those rumors about people dying in real life after encountering this 'Death Kanoka' guy, I can't afford to put you in danger." He looked over at Sinon, who regarded him coolly. "But if you are truly set on winning the tournament, sorry, but you are going to have to wait until next year. Because no one is stopping me from getting to the heart of that volcano. I will get into that temple."

Then he stopped in his tracks. He turned around to look at Leafa with a curious expression. "Wait a moment. What did you just call me?"

"Oh, uh…" Leafa stammered. "S-Sorry. I don't know why that came out. I guess… Since you've been telling me all about Ka- Kirito, I try to picture the amazing warrior you've told me about in my head. But all I see is you. Does that even make sense…?" She cringed slightly as she realized how dumb it sounded.

But to her surprise, Mataras nodded thoughtfully. "I do understand," he nodded. "I'm sorry, Leafa. But if I'm going to do this, I'd rather do it just with those I call my family."

"Too bad," Leafa said firmly as she walked up to him and lowered her voice so that Sinon would not hear. "Because I'm going to help you, and you're not going to stop me. Kirito was my brother before you ever even knew him, so that makes this my fight too."

Mataras looked into Leafa's determined eyes for a long time before he nodded slowly. "Very well," he said. "You are right. You have more of a right to help him than anyone. Thank you, Leafa." Sachi breathed a quiet sigh of relief as she saw her brother's pride finally unbend a little bit.

"I don't know what you all are talking about over there, but I'm going to log out for the night," Sinon said, bored. "See you tomorrow, Mataras. I expect a good fight from you after the things you've said."

"I expect the same," he said with a challenging smile. Sinon smirked back and logged out while meeting his gaze. When she was gone, Mataras turned to Leafa.

"What a charming friend you have," he said. "How did somebody like you make friends with such a cold-hearted individual?"

"There's not very many female players in VRMMO's," Leafa sighed. "And when you find somebody who you can respect in combat and can respect you in return, you tend to stick together, you know?"

"Again, I do know," Mataras nodded, this time putting his arm around Sachi, who smiled. "Where can we log out, since we're not in our home territory?" In ESO, Yui and Litrosh had explained that the only place that one could log out freely from was their hometown. Otherwise, they had to rent an inn or buy a house somewhere.

"You can rent a room from upstairs," Leafa answered. "I'll see you guys in a bit, okay?"

"Of course," Sachi nodded.

"Bye, Aunt Leafa," Yui smiled. "I'll see you soon!"

"Bye, Yui!" Leafa giggled as she logged out. On the way over, Sachi had briefly explained Kirito's family dynamics with the world of SAO, so now Leafa understood why Yui called Mataras and Sachi her 'aunt and uncle'. With a small flash of light, the girl was gone.

* * *

Mataras and Sachi rented out a single room for the night from the NPC tavern keeper. As they sat on the bed so that they could log out, Litrosh and Yui approached them. "Will we see you tomorrow?" Yui asked.

"Of course," Mataras smiled. "It won't be too long, Yui."

"I know," she sighed. "But I hope that we can rescue Mommy and Daddy soon."

"I look forward to this tournament," Litrosh grinned while cracking his knuckles. "It's been quite some time since I've been in a proper fight."

"Okay, hotshot, cool your jets," Sachi chuckled. "We'll see you both tomorrow afternoon."

"Can I have a hug first?" Yui asked.

"Of course," Sachi said as she pulled the girl in for a tight embrace. Litrosh raised an eyebrow at Mataras, whereupon he shook his head a most definitive manner.

"You know that I am not hugging you good night," Mataras almost laughed.

"Eh, worth a shot," Litrosh chuckled. "How about a handshake, though?"

"That I can do, old friend," Mataras nodded. The two grasped forearms, and Mataras said, "It is good to have you back, Litrosh."

"It's good to be back," the former dragon grinned.

* * *

Michael snapped his eyes open to have them greeted with the sight of the NerveGear on his head. Sighing quietly, he sat up and removed the helmet and set it on his desk. He looked down at his right hand, where only hours before, it had felt like he had once again be holding a sword, ready to defend those that could not defend themselves, and attack those that would take advantage of such victims. And the power of the flames he carried… He smiled to himself. _I think I'm going to have fun in this new world._

* * *

**Kirito: Wait just a minute, weren't Asuna and I supposed to get a scene here?!**

**Mataras: Asuna asked me to leave that part out, for what should be obvious reasons.**

**Kirito: Okay, you've got a good point. I wouldn't want to read about that part either. Makes me wanna kill that bastard all over again...**

**Mataras: Heh, don't worry. He'll get his, make no mistake.**

**Asuna: I'm personally excited to see how Mataras and Sinon are going to get on.**

**Kirito: Heh, and he's called me a lady killer. I can't wait to see him put that supposed 'charm' of his to use.**

**Mataras: Hey! I have plenty of charm! I just have to wait to use on the right girl!**

**Asuna: Sure, Mataras, keep telling yourself that.**

**Mataras: I might just leave you two in the Mangai.**

**Kirito: I don't think your fans would be too happy if you did.**

**Mataras: That's it! This segment is over!**


	20. Gearing Up

**A/N: Now, we finally get to it! In the words of Turaga Vakama, "Let the tournament begin!" Now featuring an OC created by Antex The Legendary Zoroark! His name is Kurogenei, and I found him delightful to work with!**

**P.S. Did anybody catch the Likhan quote I snuck in two chapters ago? Also, I have uploaded a video of myself and my friend (Manly Crona, who does not write visit this site) doing a reaction video to SWE's first episode of SAO abridged. Check it out through the link on my profile, especially if you want to know what Mataras sounds like!**

* * *

Gearing Up

Michael spent most of the next day before diving into Element Six Online researching what he could on his avatar's abilities, and the kind of equipment that he could and should get. From the looks of things, some of the armor was going to be expensive, assuming he could even find a smith in Le-Koro that wouldn't rat him out, and would carry fire-familiar armor and weaponry. He mentioned it to Suguha as she headed off for kendo practice, but she simply smiled assured him that she knew somebody that could help them out.

Sayuri texted him to let him know that she would be visiting again that afternoon to dive from his house. Michael made sure to clear it with Kazuto's mother before he affirmed the appointment. He then thought about going to visit his 'brother' in the hospital, but decided against it eventually.

_If I'm going to free them, I need to be doing more research on this game,_ he thought. _Sorry, Kirito, but I'll be visiting you another time._

* * *

Mataras appeared in the tavern where he had spent the night, and he waited for Sachi to log on while he summoned Litrosh and Yui. The two programs appeared in their human forms. Yui greeted him with a smile and a hug while Litrosh settled for grasping forearms with his former master and now friend.

"Are we going to the Mangai Volcano today?" Yui asked excitedly.

"After we procure some equipment, yes," Mataras nodded. "We're just waiting on your Aunt Sachi to show up."

"How will we acquire equipment for our element here in Le-Koro?" Litrosh asked, his head cocked slightly.

"Apparently, Leafa has it in hand," Mataras shrugged. "And I trust her, so we should be fine. In any case, we'll be on our way to register by the game's afternoon time."

"Sounds good to me," said Sachi as she appeared beside her brother. "Leafa is already waiting downstairs, so we should get going."

"Is Sinon going to be there?" Mataras grumbled.

"Probably," Sachi grinned. "Why? Are you looking to make up with her?"

"No," the Red Swordsman said sharply. "We'll only be even when I burn her to a crisp."

"Harsh," Litrosh commented as they headed downstairs.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Uncle Mataras fight again!" Yui said excitedly. "Especially since he has all those new powers!" Mataras grinned at the thought of being able to unleash his fire again.

As soon as they entered the bar room, Leafa and Sinon stood up to greet them. "Hey guys," Leafa smiled. "Ready to do some shopping?"

"Of course!" Sachi nodded. "Oh wait…" She turned to Maras with a frown. "Do we even have any money?"

"Hmm… I didn't check that," he muttered as he opened his menu up. He peered at it closely and said, "This item called yrd… Is that currency in this game?"

"Yup," Leafa nodded. "Do you already have some?"

"Oh yes, I believe we'll be fine," he grinned again. "While I normally hate shopping errands of any kind, I'm looking forward to a little impulse buying." Sachi took one look at his inventory, and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, much to the bewilderment of Sinon and Leafa.

* * *

They made it to a trader that Leafa said she knew well. He didn't make any of the products himself, but he was very good in the trade business. She assured them that he wouldn't tell anyone Mataras' elemental power. When they reached the shop, Mataras muttered. "What makes you so sure we can trust this Kurogenei person?"

"I should hope I can trust him," Leafa chuckled. "He's my boyfriend in the real world." Mataras and Sachi looked at her with surprise.

"You have a boyfriend?" Sachi said as they stepped through the door and into the shop. "Since when?"

"Since about a few weeks ago," Leafa admitted. "He's in the kendo club with me, and we've been friends for a long time. One day, we decided to go on a date to see how it went, and although not everything went perfect, we both decided that we had a great time. So we arranged for another date. And then another one. And eventually…" She grinned sheepishly.

"Why didn't I know about this?" Mataras asked curiously.

"Well, I didn't want to add to your concerns," Leafa shrugged. "You seem very protective of those that you care about, and I didn't want you giving him a hard time."

"Speaking of Kurogenei…" Sinon said with a frown. "Where is he?" The store was empty of any personnel or other customers.

"Just give him a minute," Leafa said patiently. "He said he'd be here, so maybe he's just in the back or something. Let's just give him a minute."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Mataras had run out of patience. "All right," he said while cracking his knuckles. "We tried it the nice way. Now we do it my way."

"What exactly is your way?" Sinon asked warily.

"Oh no," Sachi groaned.

"Just watch," Litrosh grinned. "I enjoy watching the various reactions that he gets from this persuasion technique in particular."

"What's he gonna do…?" Leafa asked nervously. In response, Mataras took a deep breath while Sachi put her face in her palm.

Then he shouted "HEY! Can I get some blasted service in here?!" When nobody responded from the back room for several seconds, he added, "You have exactly thirty seconds before I _burn this place to the ground_! One…! Two…! Three…!" It was all that the girls could do to watch as he counted all the way up to twenty-nine before the back door opened up.

"Sorry! Sorry!" the armored Toa of Air said as he rushed out of the back. "I was just finishing up inventory and- Leafa?! Hi!" He broke into a grin as the girl waved shyly at him. He walked over to her to give her a hug as he removed his armor to reveal a pale young man, slim in build, with short black hair that nearly matched Mataras' real hair color, thought there were some green streaks in it. His hazel eyes were alight with laughter and happiness. "Sorry about the wait, again. Sinon, you're looking well. How can I help you and your friends?" He addressed the last part to his girlfriend.

"Remember the, um, special customers I told you about?" she said as he studied the newcomers. "This is Mataras and Sachi."

"Oh…" he said, understanding. "In that case, let me lock down before I take you in the back room." He moved to the front of the wooden building and bolted the door and windows while also changing a sign with circular marks that resembled some form of writing. When he was done, he led them all into the back.

"All right," he said while rubbing his hands together. "Which one is the fire-spitter?"

"Call me that again, and I'll show just how much fire I can spit," Mataras growled.

Kurogenei grinned and replied, "Ah. I take it you're also the one that was threatening my establishment? Do yourself a favor- in the future, if you aim to ask favors, make a better first impression on them." Normally, he was not so forward with strangers, but since somebody he already knew was with them, he didn't have a problem.

"I don't ask for favors unless I've known the person a long time," Mataras answered. "I offer business to people I don't know well."

"Oh?" Kurogenei said, his eyes brightening behind his mask. "Then let's have it. Tell me what you need, and then we'll work out a price."

"I need the best aerial fire armor that you have, along with some leg-mounted jets," Mataras replied simply. "I'd prefer to have a one-handed sword, and perhaps a gauntlet of some kind for my left hand. Also, I want a shoulder-mounted cordak revolver, and a nyrah ghost blaster that also goes on a shoulder."

Kurogenei raised an eyebrow as he heard the items that were laid out. "First of all, you do realize that what you're asking for is going to charge you an arm and a leg, right?" he said. "Second of all, how are you even going to be able to operate two projectile weapons at the same time?"

"I won't," Mataras smirked. Jerking his thumb at Litrosh, he said, "And while we're at it, let's get some better weapons for my Av-Matoran friend here."

"Av… Oh," the trader nodded. "Alright, that makes sense now."

"I'm not done yet, either," Mataras added. "I need the following masks: Kanohi Hau Mistika, Miru, Pakari Nuva, Calix, and Mahiki. Do you have them?"

"I do," he nodded. "I have everything that you're looking for, but it ain't gonna be cheap, man. You're looking at a seven digit figure, buddy."

"First of all, I am not your buddy," Mataras replied evenly. "Second of all…" He manipulated his menu and pulled out a large sack of coins before tossing them at Kurogenei. "That's two thousand pieces of mithril yrd in there, the equivalent of two million regular currency coins, if I'm not mistaken."

"Y-Yeah…" Kurogenei nodded, eyes bugging out at the weight and amount of money that had just landed in his arms.

"Then are we settled on a deal?" Mataras said as he reached out to shake hands with the young man.

"You bet!" the other player laughed. "Thanks, Mataras! You might be a bit of a jerk, but you're definitely good for business!" And he added the coins to his inventory as he turned to browse through his mask collection that he had accumulated.

As he did, Sachi whispered in his ear, "You probably could have negotiated harder."

"Hey, I can cut the man some slack," Mataras said in an undertone. "After all, he was just threatened by a crazed lunatic. He must be having a rough day- why should I add to his misery?" And he said with such a straight face that Sachi knew her brother was howling with laughter on the inside.

* * *

When it was all done, Mataras' avatar looked very little like he had when he first logged in. He was now equipped with dark red armor featuring silver plating on his shoulders, back, and thighs, all originating from Karda Nui. On his shoulders were the mounted guns that he had requested, and he had also purchased a generous amount of ammunition for each one. On his left hand was a fiery gauntlet sporting two claws, and in his right hand was a large sword with a blade that resembled flames sprouting from a silver guard. Both weapons originated from Bara Magna. His legs were fitted with jets as he had requested, and his new Kanohi Hau was set on his face, though he could automatically access up to five other masks if he had them in the equipped slots. All in all, he looked powerful.

Litrosh was outfitted with a faster jetpack and stronger swords, but Av-Matoran could not upgrade their armor, nor their masks. However, what he could do was operate Mataras' guns and automatically boost his elemental powers whenever he attached himself to his Toa's back.

Next came Sachi, whom Kurogenei found much more pleasant to interact with. Her soft, kind-hearted nature made her a better customer, in his opinion. While he was loading up her equipment, he wondered to himself why in the world she was putting up with Mataras. But when he turned back to look at them, he saw Mataras smiling softly at something Sachi said, and his bearing was far more relaxed than when he had been speaking to the trader.

Kurogenei made a motion with his head for Leafa to come join him. When she got closer, he said, "Are those two dating? Because if they are, she is so far out of his league."

"No, they're not dating," Leafa giggled. "But they're definitely very close. I know that both of them considers the other to be a true brother or sister, as in if they were related by blood, even though they're not."

"Oh," he said quietly. "Never would have guessed that."

"Me neither, but they've been through hell together," Leafa replied as they watched Sachi reach down and pick up Yui with a big smile. "I can't tell you everything that they've been through without their permission, but I know that they're good for each other."

"I'll take your word for it," he said as he finished gathering the last of the requested items. "Now I just gotta wrap this up, and you'll be on your way."

"You're not gonna come up to watch?" Leafa asked, disappointed.

"Not unless you're gonna compete," Kurogenei shook his head. "And I thought that you said you weren't interested in the tourney."

"Well… Things changed," Leafa admitted. "To keep it brief, these guys need every chance that they can get to win the tournament."

"Why?"

"Sorry, but they want me to keep that under wraps," she grinned sheepishly.

"All right," he sighed. "Well, if you're gonna compete, I'll make sure to lock down everything before we go." Leafa smiled brightly and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek before she moved back to join the others.

* * *

Sachi was outfitted with blue and silver Nuva armor from Ga-Koro, although her main mask, a Kanohi Volitak, a mask of stealth, was forged in Marhi Nui. She also had masks of translation, water breathing, and regeneration on her. Her weapons consisted of a Voya Nui straight sword and an energized harpoon. She had decided to get jets like her brother, though hers were mounted on her shoulders instead of her legs. While she was shorter than anybody else that they had run across, she looked no less formidable for it, despite her timid nature.

Yui, who had been designated to be her Av-Matoran, was now armed with a trident from Bara Magna, and another jetpack with faster flight capabilities.

When the last of the transactions had been made, Kurogenei said, "All right! We're closing up the shop and heading to the Mangai Volcano!"

"Finally," Sinon muttered as she closed her menu from checking her inventory. "I was about to go catch a gukko bird and just meet you all there."

"But if you had done that, you'd miss out on the opportunity to keep making japes at me," Mataras grinned.

"I can't remember?" Sinon scowled. "You and I had a deal."

Mataras' eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Wow," he murmured.

"What?" she snapped.

"Few people would pass up an opportunity to take the wind out of my sails," he replied. "Yet you honored our bargain, despite your dislike for me. That is… an admirable trait."

Sinon looked over at Sachi, who was regarding her brother with a mix of surprise and suspicion. Then she looked back at Mataras and said, "Yeah, well, this doesn't change anything between you and me. As soon as we get to the tournament, I'm not pulling any punches."

"And neither shall I," Mataras nodded as they walked outside with their armor unequipped. "But now I anticipate our duel with eagerness. At first I thought you were all talk, but now…" He smiled without any hint of condescension in his expression. "I look forward to trading blows with a worthy opponent, Toa Sinon."

* * *

They hired a trio of Matoran NPC's to fly them on massive birds called gukkos to take them to the volcano where the tournament would be held. The Av-Matoran chose to fly instead of riding, as to not exceed the weight limit on their mounts.

The ride took roughly and hour, and as they rode though the sky together, Mataras and Sachi went over the rules with Leafa again. They already knew most of what was supposed to happen, but there were a few details that the girls had accidentally left out. "If you want cash rewards, you can enter your real-life information when you register to compete," Leafa explained. "If you don't, your avatar will receive some rare equipment instead, depending on how far in the tournament you get."

"Yeah, I'm not entering any personal information into a VRMMO," Mataras muttered. "Too many opportunities for hackers to get ahold of your information."

"Like I said, it's up to you," Leafa shrugged. "Personally, I'm in the same boat, but I dunno about Sinon."

"It's not our business," Mataras finally said after a moment of the rushing wind being the only sound in the air. "She can make her own choices." Yet for some reason, he could feel the cold stone of dread sinking into his gut. _I may have to keep an eye on you, Toa of Ice_, he thought to himself.

"Where do the actual battles take place?" he asked as he filed the thought away for later use.

"An NPC from the Order of Mata Nui uses a Kanohi called the Olmak," Leafa replied. "It has the power to open portals to anywhere the user chooses- in this case, the system generates random maps the size of a square mile where individual combats take place."

"Impressive," Mataras admitted. "What are the rules concerning Av-Matoran?"

"They can help you in the prelims, but not in the tournament itself," Leafa recalled. "Most people won't have one, so you'll have a distinct advantage over those people."

* * *

When they arrived at the base of the volcano, they found themselves in a village where all the different elements could be found. It was here that Mataras could finally equip his armor in public along with the others. They headed over to a large building made of stone, where they found a few dozen other players milling about, having already registered, or waiting on their friends to finish registering.

There were enough terminals open for everyone that was fighting to register already, so they each moved to a separate terminal. On the table before them appeared a stone tablet with strange runes carved into them, but when they touched it, a menu popped up where they could enter their information. Leafa, Mataras, and Sachi all kept the submitted information to a minimum. They didn't know what Sinon chose to do, but they kept their curiosity in check- it was rude to ask about IRL information anyway. Once they had finished with that, they were given a tablet that appeared in their inventories that showed their schedules.

Kurogenei waited on a bench until they were all done. As he approached them, he was joined by another Toa, this one from the region of Onu-Wahi. "Hey guys," the air Toa said as they grouped up. "This is Toa Shupigeru."

"Hey there," he grinned in a friendly enough manner. He turned to Sinon and said, "So, you ready to take that title this year?"

"You know it," she grinned as she bumped armored fists with him hard enough to send sparks flying. "This year I'm gonna kill _all_ the strong players." The way she said it gave Mataras and Sachi chills.

"I'll be rooting for ya," the black-and-sliver armored Toa replied. Turning to the others, he said, "Sorry guys, but Sinon's taking the title this year. Maybe next time, huh?"

Before Mataras could utter a sharp retort, Sachi placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "It sounds like she'll be quite the challenger. I hope we don't have to fight her in the prelims."

"Sorry to burst your bubble on that account, but we're all in the same block," Leafa winced. "If I run into either of you, I'll call it a draw, but I doubt Sinon would want to do that."

"You're damn right about that," the Toa of Ice muttered.

"That sounds like the way I like it," Mataras grinned. "Sorry kid, but your friend is going to meet the conclusion of her participation at the end of my sword." Before either parties could fire more shots, an announcement was made that the preliminary rounds would begin in ten minutes. "Let us settle this with combat," Mataras said firmly, to which Sinon nodded sharply.

* * *

Mataras was one of the first ones to compete. In the waiting room, there were several NPC Toa using masks of illusion to project videos of the fights that were going on. This way, those that were simply spectators or waiting on their next match could keep an eye on their friends and rivals.

When the timer went off, each player that was set to compete was instantly warped away by the power of the Olmak. Litrosh hopped on his friend's back and fused himself to the warrior, who had his blade out already. "You ready?" he asked as the world around them materialized.

"Of course," Mataras answered, his voice hard. "This is for our family, so I'll do whatever it takes to win." Then they were standing on a beach bordered by a jungle. From what he had been told, this was what Ga-Wahi was supposed to look like.

"Are you picking up on any movement?" Mataras asked quietly.

"Yes," Litrosh answered after a quiet moment. "Another player is coming towards us from the jungle. But I can't determine their elemental or mask powers until I can actually see them."

"That doesn't matter much," Mataras grinned as he pointed his sword at the line of trees. "If they don't come out within the next few seconds, they will be as good as dead." With that, he unleashed a roaring river of fire at the jungle, causing the trees to catch ablaze. True to his prediction, another Toa leapt out of the tree line, armor blackened and smoking. One look at him, and Mataras knew that he was a Toa of Stone. He was armed with a missile launcher and a hefty one-handed axe, which he now planted in the sand.

"That was a low blow," he coughed.

"I don't care," Mataras replied. "Litrosh, shoot him." The red Av-Matoran did so immediately, firing a shot from his cordak revolver straight at the brown Toa. In response, their opponent used his elemental power to raise up a pillar of sand which solidified into a hard rock that blocked the resulting explosion.

Unfortunately for him, this left him blinded temporarily, and Mataras took advantage of that to come at him with his sword. The other Toa barely blocked the murderous stroke in time, but he was nowhere near ready for the follow-up attack, a sucker punch to the gut from Mataras' fire claw.

From there, the two exchanged a flurry of sword blows, during which Litrosh ejected himself so that Mataras could move around easier. It was clear who the close-combat expert was though, and the Toa of Stone knew it. Mataras kept pressing him back, keeping in close enough so that his opponent couldn't use his explosive weaponry. So he decided to take a different approach to the fight.

He leaped back, his mask beginning to glow. The next instant, Mataras was pummeled with twenty blows between one second and the next. He glared at his enemy, who smirked confidently. "You might be strong, but you're nowhere near fast enough to catch someone who's got a Kanohi Kakama."

"Who said…? I needed to catch you?" Mataras growled. Then he took flight before his enemy could land another hit. When he was a good fifty feet up, Litrosh re-connected himself while Mataras snarled, "I don't have the time to play games with you." His sword blazed with fire, and he unleashed another torrent at his enemy.

The Toa of Stone chuckled and simply cocooned himself in a dome made out of stone to shield himself from the deadly fire. He knew that his enemy would run out of elemental power before the stone would melt, so he could wait this out. "Stupid fire-spitting berserker," he muttered. "This fight's no-"

The next instant, a flaming sword smashed through the rock and cleaved him in two. He didn't even have time to cry out. Mataras watched his body dissolve into sand and leave behind his heart stone. "And that is that," he murmured. "Thank you, Litrosh." He whirled his sword in a reverse circle and sheathed it on his back, in between the space where Litrosh was attached.

"You are welcome," the AI grinned even though Mataras couldn't see him. It felt good to be in combat beside his old friend once more. Then they were warped back to the waiting area, where they would be met with congratulations.

* * *

"You did great!" Sachi exclaimed as she hugged Mataras as he sat at their booth. "It looked like you were yourself again out there!" Leafa and Sinon were already in their own set of matches.

"You totally smashed that guy!" Yui giggled.

"Oh, so I'm just a berserker, am I?" he pretended to scowl.

"Seemed like it to me," Kurogenei grinned. "Seriously, though, that was some pretty impressive swordplay and use of your elemental powers. Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"Instinct," Mataras replied.

"He's always had a knack for combat as long as I've known him," Sachi added. "I've never seen him lose a fight." Before she could add another word, though, another alarm went off. "Oh, that's my cue!" she said as she hugged Mataras one more time. "Wish us luck!"

"Bye, Uncle!" Yui chirped. Then they disappeared.

"Good luck," Litrosh and Mataras said in unison. Then the Red Swordsman said, "I'm going to go get us some drinks. Do you want anything while I'm up?"

"Nah, I'm good," Kurogenei shook his head in a negative gesture. "Thanks for offering, though. You're not a half-bad guy, Mataras." The Toa of Fire ignored the last part and went to go get a drink from Ga-Matoran NPC.

"Are you the real deal, or what?" a scratchy, deep voice said from behind Mataras. He whirled around to see a massive Toa of Earth wearing a jet black Pakari Mistika. His red eyes glowed as he looked at Mataras coldly.

"What do you mean, 'the real deal?" Mataras growled as he set his drink down.

In response, the massive Toa pointed at an image still playing on the wall of his own match just moments ago. "The way you fought with your sword… And the way that you sheathed it… Not to mention your tendency to go overboard…" He leaned in closer, and Mataras prepared to use his fire if need be. "Put all that together with your name… Are you _him_?"

Mataras stared hard at the player before him. Something about this player was getting on his nerves, but he couldn't place why. He almost stormed past the man when it his him. The voice- he had heard it before, though now it was distorted somehow. _He knows me… And that voice…_ If anyone could have seen his face then, they would have said that he looked white as a ghost. _Is he a survivor of Aincrad?!_

The person before him slowly extended his right hand out to his side and turned it so that the underside face Mataras- and clearly showed the symbol of Laughing Coffin on his armor. In the same motion, he also revealed a hand-held Kanoka disk launcher. Then, in that moment, the Red Swordsman understood.

_Death Kanoka…_ He growled in his mind. _Of course. Only Laughing Coffin could come with a way to kill again in a virtual world._ His warrior's blood began to boil, but he kept himself in check. There was no doubt in his mind about the authenticity of the rumors Agil had told them about now. And if they were true, he was dealing with some incredibly sick, yet incredibly clever people. He would have to watch his step around this one, he knew.

When he said nothing, the Toa shrugged and said, "Whether you're a fake, using his name… Or the real thing… Someday… I _will_ kill you." Then he walked away.

He wasn't around to hear Mataras say, "This began in the world of Aincrad… Now I'll just have to finish it in the world of the Bionicle." He clenched his fist as he added, "One way or another… Laughing Coffin will be finished for good this time. And it will be by my hand that they will finally meet their end."

* * *

**Kirito: I gotta say, the way that you managed to incorporate the mechanics of GGO into the world of Bionicle are pretty interesting.**

**Mataras: Thank you. I tell you, it was quite the headache trying to figure out all the mechanics for it.**

**Asuna: Not as much of headache as Sinon's gonna give you when you fight her.**

**Mataras: We'll see about that.**

**Kirito: I dunno, man... She looks pretty tough to me.**

**Mataras: I'm sorry, of the people in this room, which one of us has never lost in a duel?**

**Kirito: That fight was rigged! Besides, you died when Kayaba stabbed you!**

**Mataras: True, but I wasn't part of the duel. Therefore, it doesn't count.**

**Asuna: Mataras, I'm about to call Sachi in here.**

**Mataras: Is that your go-to? Are you afraid you can't handle me without her to soften me up?**

**Kirito: Uh... Mataras...?**

**Asuna: I'll show you what happens when I do things myself!**

**Mataras: Bring it on!**


	21. Trial By Fire

**A/N: Now, the beginning of what you've all been waiting for. It's time to see just how hot the flames of fury in Mataras' heart burn. Will he burn everything in his path like dragon fire? Or will he be snuffed out like a candle?**

**Please be sure to leave a review, even if you're new to this story, or you've been following for a while and don't really know what to say. I want to know what it is that you guys think of my work! What's on your mind when you've finished reading this?**

* * *

Trial by Fire

Mataras sat down in his booth, a dark scowl on his mask. _Death Kanoka… So you're from Laughing Coffin, eh?_ he thought. _I know only nine of their members survived the raid. PoH was the one who escaped, so is that him?_ He discounted the idea immediately. _PoH didn't have a flair for melodramatic speech… But someone he worked closely with did… Who was it?_

"Hey man, are you okay?" Kurogenei looked at the Toa of Fire with concern. "They not have what you wanted at the fountain?"

"It's nothing you can do anything about," Mataras said with a shake of his head. Looking up at the illusions, he asked, "Where's Sachi?"

In response, Kurogenei pointed at a Toa of Water that was projecting an image of a magma field. A Toa of fire was engaging with Sachi in fierce combat, and it didn't look good to the Toa of Air. Mataras, on the other hand, had dropped the scowl in favor of a smile.

* * *

Sachi dodged another fire blast from her opponent, a non-descript fire Toa. "Details, Yui," she said as she shot at him with her harpoon. The shots she had fired thus far were small but fast, forcing her enemy to keep his distance, so he couldn't use his twin great swords to their maximum effect.

"He has masks of strength, levitation, invisibility, and summoning," the little matoran replied. "Not to mention that he has a nyrah ghost blaster that will imprison you if a dart strikes you."

"What's a mask of summoning do?" Sachi asked.

"He can-" Yui's answer was cut off as the other Toa's mask glowed brightly and a roar was heard from within the lava. A massive eel suddenly burst from one of the rivers of lava that dotted the field, and started slithering towards Sachi, much to her disgust.

"_Gross_!" she shouted. "What is that?!"

"As I was saying, the Kanohi Zetth has the ability to spawn a monster to aid you in combat," Yui answered. "Although while the wielder is using it, they are very vulnerable to attack by other players."

The monstrous lava eel tried to through itself at Sachi, but she leaped nimbly out of the way to avoid harm. Unfortunately, this also put her at a greater distance from her opponent- and backed her against a river of fire.

"Aunt Sachi!" Yui cried as she teetered over the edge of the river. The girl thrust with her jetpack just enough to right her Toa's balance, and Sachi stood firm once more. "You have to get past that monster to attack your opponent directly!"

"How can I do that?" Sachi wondered. "As soon as I kill the mob, he'll just call up another one."

"Then use your own mask power!" Yui said as the eel began slithering closer. "Use the Volitak!"

"What does that one even do?" Sachi said as she eyed the monster uneasily.

"It makes you almost invisible," Yui replied. "And it also makes it very hard to hear you approaching another player. If I distract the mob, you can probably make it to your opponent without being spotted. Attack him and you can finish him, or at least do some damage."

"How do I activate the mask?!" Sachi asked. The eel was only meters away.

"Make some cover with a steam cloud and then just focus on the effects of the mask!" Yui said as she ejected herself and took aim at the eel with her blades. Two needles made of light pierced into its soft flesh, angering it greatly and causing it to forget Sachi, who chose that moment to shoot at the ground like her niece had suggested. The air around her erupted into steam, hiding her from view. Then she triggered her Kanohi, her appearance becoming like that of a ghost. It didn't turn her completely invisible, but if she was seen, she was more likely to be mistaken for a heat wave. And, unlike the Kanohi Huna, which turned a user completely invisible, it did not continue to cast a shadow.

She made her way back to her enemy, who was looking around nervously, unable to see his opponent. Sachi switched from her harpoon to her sword and snuck up behind him without a sound as Yui continued to occupy both his and the mob's attention. With the sound of rushing water, Sachi's sword stuck through the Toa of Fire's chest.

* * *

Mataras chuckled at Kurogenei's stunned face. "My sister is tougher than you had originally thought, is she not?" he smirked.

"Yeah," Kurogenei admitted. "That guy actually made it to the tourney last year, but he was knocked out pretty fast after that. He's really good at summoning mobs and getting the environment to work for him. But when he got cornered by another player in close combat, turned out that his swords are mostly just for show."

Sachi reappeared beside them, looking a little drained, but with a smile on her face. Yui was right behind her, smiling with glee. "Aunt Sachi is amazing!" she giggled. "Did you see her, Uncle?"

"Of course I did," Mataras nodded as he put a hand on Sachi's shoulder. "Well fought, Little Sister," he smiled. "You did the Black Cats proud." Litrosh moved to congratulate his AI companion, and the two started comparing notes about their own battles.

"Thanks, Brother," Sachi smiled in return. Then she cocked her head. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Mataras cocked his head.

"You're all tensed up," she said with a slight frown.

"It's just the armor," he tried say as an excuse. "I'm fine."

"Mataras…" she said warningly. He slumped his shoulders in resignation.

Leaning in so that only she could hear, he whispered, "Death Kanoka is here." She stiffened slightly but said nothing, so he added, "And he's a survivor from Aincrad like us- one of the nine surviving members of Laughing Coffin." Then he pulled back and looked her in the eyes to see that her own gaze had become like steel.

"So," she murmured. "SAO still isn't over."

"No, not yet," Mataras agreed. "Not for the Moonlit Black Cats, and not for Laughing Coffin. But Element Six Online is where it comes to a close." Before he could say anything else, he and Litrosh were warped to the next match.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Kurogenei asked as Sachi sat down. "Your brother was looking pretty rattled about something earlier. Did something happen?"

"Yeah…" Sachi nodded. "But there's nothing you can do about it. Thanks for asking, though. I'm glad that Leafa has somebody like you around."

"Aw, thanks," the Toa of Air grinned sheepishly. "Well, whatever it is that's bothering you, I'm sure it'll all work out."

_I hope so, for his sake_, Sachi thought as she looked up at her screen to see Mataras standing in a plain of grass that extended for as far as the eye could see. Standing several hundred meters away from him was a Toa of Air, armed with a long katana. Looking at his player ID, Sachi was somewhat interested to see that it was a simple name: Walter.

* * *

Mataras' eyes were glazed over as he stared blankly at his opponent. The shorter Toa of Air took aim with a type of sphere launcher and fired straight at his chest. If it hit, it would do one of three things- paralyze him for several minutes, dissolve his armor, or drain him of all his elemental power and transfer it to the shooter.

Litrosh said nothing as the projectile came closer, for he knew that Mataras had everything in hand. When the green sphere was not two feet from his chest, Mataras' sword flicked out and sliced it clean in two, sending two halves flying on either side of him. The shooter looked stunned, but contrary to Mataras' usual pattern of behavior, he didn't press the attack while he had the advantage.

Litrosh disconnected himself and said, "I understand, Mataras. Do what you must, with or without me. Call, and I shall assist you." Then he waited.

Walter took aim again, this time shooting to cripple his arm at the shoulder. But before he could, Mataras' eyes snapped up. Even from the distance that they were at, Walter could see the rage and madness in his opponent's eyes. For a moment, he was so distracted by the sight of them that he forgot that this was just a game.

Mataras let out a wordless bellow that echoed across the plains as his entire body erupted into flames and he shot up into the sky on the power of his leg-mounted jets. He looked like a meteor as he charged at his enemy, his entire body trailing fire in his wake. Walter barely activated his Kanohi Calix in time to dodge the attack.

His katana came off of his back as he engaged Mataras in a fierce series of blows, even while fire danced across his armored body. Mataras continued to roar as he smashed his heavier sword into Walter's thinner blade again and again.

"Whoa!" Walter cried as the flaming sword nearly took his head off. "Cool it, man! It's just a game!"

"_Not to me, it isn't_!" Mataras shouted. His sword danced faster and faster, until finally, Walter's sword was sliced clean through, much to his shock. Then Mataras grabbed him by the throat with brutal force. "Dead," he hissed. Then the Toa of Air was consumed by a fire that burned as intensely as Mataras' anger.

* * *

Back at the waiting area, another player was looking at one of the images with an emotion that she could not describe. _Not to me it isn't!_ The shout replayed in her head. Why was this so important to him? Was it possible that somehow, this game was confronting him with demons from his own past?

Sinon shook her head, trying to get the thoughts out of her mind. _Stop it! _ She thought furiously. _Don't focus on that fire-spitting jerk! Focus on winning- on becoming the strongest!_

"Hey, Sinon?" Shupigeru said with a cocked head. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered. "That fire-spitter really pisses me off, though."

"Ah, don't worry about it!" her friend said cheerfully. "In two rounds, he's gonna get put on ice, right?"

"That's right," Sinon nodded as she looked hard at the Toa of fire as he spun his sword in a circle before putting it on his back. "I'll shoot him dead before he can even blink." She squeezed her fingers on an imaginary trigger, wondering what kind of sound the hothead would make when he died.

* * *

"I assume that you will not be requiring my assistance for the remainder of this tournament?" Litrosh said as he and Mataras reappeared in the waiting room.

"Sorry, Litrosh," Mataras sighed. "But I need to do this part on my own. I have to get to Death Kanoka on my own power, so I can finish what I started."

"I was there for the raid, too, remember? Where this war started," Litrosh recalled. "But nonetheless, I shall not go against your wishes. If this is important to you, I will not interfere."

"Thank you, Litrosh," Mataras sighed. "You are a good friend."

"I try to be," the former dragon chuckled. "However, I do still wish to participate in the tournament if I can. Do you object to me helping out Leafa during the preliminary rounds?"

"Not at all," Mataras shook his head. "Do as you wish." Then they moved to rejoin the others for a bit.

* * *

Through skill- and sometimes by luck- both Sachi and Leafa managed to qualify for the tournament that would take place the the next day. No doubt that the Av-Matoran played a part in their victories, but neither one of them cared about that. They just wanted to have the best chance possible at getting the Kini-Nui quest, for the sake of their brothers.

Mataras finished his third match just like the previous one- with overpowering force and brutality. His opponent, a Toa of Water, couldn't even manage to hit him with a single blast of her power. He simply evaporated any water that she managed to throw at him before he cut her to pieces.

Because of the randomized slots, even after the girls were finished, Mataras still had two rounds to go, while Sinon still had one. If Mataras could get past his next opponent, he would be facing off against the cold-hearted sniper. Unfortunately for him, his next opponent was last year's victor- a Toa of Fire named Eugene.

When he learned this, he turned to Leafa and said, "What can you tell me about him?"

"He's brothers with the guy that head the Ta-Koro army," Leafa replied. "That guy's the brains, but as far as power goes, it's rumored that Eugene is the strongest in the game. He's the strongest guy on this island, for sure."

"Why?" Litrosh asked. "What makes him so special?"

"He's the only person to ever complete a quest that gets you a pseudo-legendary mask," Kurogenei replied. "He's got the Kanohi Olmak, the great mask of dimensional gates."

"Wait, isn't that the mask that the NPC is using to create these mini-maps?" Sachi asked.

"Yeah, that's the one," Leafa nodded. "The way it works when a player uses it is just a little bit different. They can use it to open gates up to anywhere else in the game, even other islands. The way that Eugene has been known to use it is that he'll set up a portal that doesn't close until somebody passes through it. And it usually goes to a place on Voya Nui, where the mobs are insanely difficult."

"Ouch," Sachi winced.

"Can he use that on me while we fight in the tournament?" Mataras asked.

"Sort of," Leafa answered. "He can use it to drop you outside the map boundaries, which would disqualify you from the match. He's already done it to two other players today."

"Hmm… But he has to force me inside it?" Mataras muttered. "He can't just teleport me by looking at me?"

"Yeah, why?" Kurogenei said with a curious expression on his mask.

"I have just one more question," Mataras said, ignoring him. "Is it possible to steal an item from somebody in the tournament?"

"Yes…" Leafa said slowly. "But in order to do it in the tournament, you can't just get a kill drop. You have to take the item off of the avatar itself. Wait-! You're not-?!" Before Mataras could answer, he was teleported out of the room.

* * *

He found himself in a mountainous region. It was dark and lightning flashed as the rain fell on his armor. Not fifty feet away was a hulking figure in gold-and-red armor. The mask he wore could only be described as fierce. A single, massive broadsword was in his hand, its weight and reach dwarfing Mataras' own sword.

"Toa Eugene," Mataras said simply, drawing his own blade.

"Renegade Mataras," the larger warrior replied with a deep voice. "I heard that you were the one that gave my men a hard time last night."

"I gave them what they had coming to them," Mataras snapped. "Just like I'm about to do to you."

"Big talk, kid," Eugene chuckled. His mask began to glow, and he pointed to his right with his massive sword. Never taking his eyes fully off the man, Mataras spared a quick glance in the indicated direction. Out over the ravine that the mountain dropped into, there was a black hole that was growing. "Say hello to your defeat," Eugene chuckled.

He was surprised when- without even looking, Mataras shot him with his cordak revolver, blasting him off the cliff side. "You first," he muttered as he took to the sky on his jets. "I may not have my partner with me, but I can still use my weapons one at a time, you know. Perhaps you should have equipped a firearm of your own?"

Eugene roared and came up at Mataras from below on the power of his own rockets. He smashed into Mataras and sent him towards the portal. The Red Swordsman was surprised at his strength- the last time he'd been hit that hard was in the boss fight against the Gleam Eyes. He saw that the portal was coming up to meet him, so he unleashed a fire arc at it, hoping to destroy it. Unfortunately, all it did was drive it back a few meters.

Still it was enough space for Mataras to get away, though he was still puzzled as to what had just happened. Was the rain affecting his power that badly? "Sorry kid, but the gate doesn't stop until something passes through it," the red-and-gold armored man laughed as he drew closer to his young enemy.

"Then I guess I'll just have to get your Olmak first, and then put you inside it," his challenger snarled. "I've faced hundreds of monsters that were all tougher than you with just a sword and my wits. You might as well be a walk in the park for me."

"You little…!" Eugene puffed up with rage, coming in for another brutal attack. His sword blazed with fire, even as Mataras lit up his own flames. Now that he knew what kind of power to expect, he knew what to do.

He had not used his mask powers as of yet, but he figured now would be a good time to start. He activated his Kanohi Miru to assist his flight precision in order to dodge at just the right moment. It wasn't as good as his Calix mask, but it was easier to use and it did the trick in this instance. Then he immediately switched to his mask of strength, landing a solid blow to Eugene's back and sending him towards the portal that he had created.

The other Toa of Fire roared in anger and managed to just avoid being swallowed by his own creation. He set himself on another collision course with the annoying renegade, his massive sword coming back to cleave the thinner player in two.

This time when Mataras' mask was activated, it was the Calix. His reflexes and strength were almost on the level of a deity in the game due to his data being carried over from Aincrad, but when you added the power of a great mask to it…

He weaved to the side ever so slightly, hooked his sword up under the tip of the Kanohi Olmak, and pried it off of Eugene's face, leaving behind a temporarily maskless face. The gate that Eugene had created shattered into pieces that faded in the rain.

Eugene looked at his young rival with shock- no one had ever even attempted something like that in all the history of ESO, let alone pulled it off. As his reserve mask, a mask of gravity appeared on his head, Mataras placed the Olmak over his own face.

The mask glowed and then faded into the Hau, indicating that it had been successfully added to his active inventory of masks. "And thus your invincibility was your weakness," Mataras said as he placed his sword on his back. "I am interested to see how you fare without your strongest weapon."

Eugene's face was distorted with rage. "You brat!" he screamed. "I'll kill you! _I'll kill you_!" He launched himself forward at high speed, his mask glowing brightly. Mataras suddenly found that it was harder to stay in the air, much less move to dodge. Eugene's sword smashed into his body, sending him crashing into the side of the mountain.

"I don't need the Olmak to kill you!" Eugene roared. "But I'll take off of your cold, dead head once I've had my fun!" He unleashed five rivers of fire that would incinerate any player, even a Toa of Fire like Mataras.

Stunned, but not down, Mataras acted on instinct alone.

* * *

Back at the resting area, Sinon was shaking her head in disappointment. "Your friend's got balls, I'll give him that," she said with a smirk. "But he's gonna get it now. Eugene's known for having a temper, and taking away his favorite toy was just stupid. Too bad, really. I was looking forward to shooting him through the head myself."

"Wait for it…" Litrosh and Sachi said simultaneously as they looked closer at the illusion projecting Mataras' fight. As they looked on, the mask he had selected flared brightly, creating a shield of red energy that stopped the oncoming fire streams. Leafa and Sinon gasped at the level of control he was displaying, despite the fact that it was only his second day in Element Six Online. To use any mask power required intense concentration, and the advanced ones usually took a good five seconds to activate, yet he had activated his Kanohi with seemingly little effort. Not to mention that the beating that he had taken would have put most people out of commission already, yet he was still fighting.

"How in the world…?" Sinon said, her eyes wide.

"Don't ever count a Black Cat out of the fight," Litrosh said without looking at her. "And don't turn your back on Mataras until his body is rotted, and his armor is nothing but dust in the wind. Otherwise, you can be sure that he will come back for you."

Sinon could only look as Mataras got to his feet and glared at his enemy with fire in his eyes, and steely resolve in his heart.

* * *

"It's time for the game to end," Mataras said as Eugene finally stopped using his elemental power. "I am _done_ playing!" His mask glowed even brighter than before as his shield faded away. Eugene looked on in shock as the fires that had managed to survive the rain began to draw close to the boy down below, hiding him from view.

_What is he doing?_ The older man had to wonder.

His answer came in the form of roar that was clearly not human. A shadow began to take place in the flames, growing and growing until Eugene gasped at the shape, despite all of his experience in what the game had to offer. Out from the fire, a massive red dragon emerged. The roar it had let loose before was nothing to the shockwave that resounded from its mouth now.

Fire streamed across its wings, each of which were easily the size of the monster itself. The teeth it displayed as it roared were each as sharp as Eugene's sword. The back and tail were adorned with spines that looked as though they could skewer a man if one got too close. But what was the most surprising to the warrior was the lack of any metal on the body of the creature. The only protection it had was its scales, which glowed like coals in a dying fire.

_Is that the boy himself, or a summoned monster?!_ Eugene thought as the beast glared at him with sheer malevolence. Either way, one thing was clear: he would have to defeat the monster to defeat Mataras. He dove at the monster, letting loose another blast of fire, though his energy reserves were running low by now.

In retaliation, the dragon inhaled and let out a flood of fire that dwarfed any stream Eugene had released. The force of the fire sent him flying backwards. The dragon snorted with contempt and took flight, its massive wings sending waves of wind every which way. To Eugene, it seemed that this couldn't possibly be an illusion. Yet he had never heard of a monster being spawned in ESO that lacked any kind of armor at all. It _had_ to be the work of a Kanohi Mahiki- right?

Eugene's health was down to the red now, and he couldn't see Mataras' HP bar anywhere in the area. He was basically fighting blind against a monster that seemed to have been spawned from the depths of Karzahni itself. For the first time in his career in ESO, Eugene considered calling for a draw.

Then he shook his head angrily, enraged that he would allow something like this to nearly scare him off. He'd faced a Tatorahk and come out victorious- this dragon would be no different, he told himself. Resolved in a course of action now, he flew straight at the dragon, mask of strength activated at maximum capacity.

The dragon swatted him down into the cliff like we were no more than a fly that had gotten too fat to dodge an open palm. As his body faded, Eugene saw the dragon fade away to be replaced by the image of Toa Mataras, looking very pleased with himself. _No…_ Eugene thought. _He couldn't_ really_ have been the dragon… Could he?_

* * *

"So, was that dragon you?" Kurogenei asked as he eyed the Toa of Fire nervously. Sinon had left a moment ago to go 'prepare herself' according to Leafa, so she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"That happens to be a trade secret," Mataras smirked. "And you would know a thing or two about that, now wouldn't you?"

"Speaking of trades…" Kurogenei's eyes lit up as he remembered something. "What would it take for you to part with the Olmak?"

"That is not for sale," Mataras replied evenly. "And if you press me about it, we'll pick up right where we left off on my countdown to the destruction of your shop." Kurogenei's jaw snapped shut.

Sachi rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Well," she said, "Are you going to call it a draw with Sinon when you fight her? Or are you going to finish your victory streak like you have been?"

"Do you mean by utterly destroying anybody that challenges me?" Mataras said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Sachi nodded.

"Don't think I cannot do both," Mataras said with a wink. "I have been known to be quite the multi-tasker." Sachi planted her face in her palm, not even bothering to try and understand what he meant by that.

"I will see you all after the match," he said as he noticed the counter nearly reach zero.

"Good luck," Kurogenei said with a small wave.

"Fight hard," Litrosh grinned.

"Remember Mommy and Daddy!" Yui said.

"I believe in you, Brother," Sachi said as she hugged him tightly.

"_Try_ to be nice to Sinon," Leafa groaned.

Mataras simply smiled at them all as he was teleported to his final preliminary match. As the world around him re-materialized, he was intrigued to see that he was in a desert landscape, or more specifically, a canyon dotted with statues everywhere. Some were under construction, while other already stood tall and proud.

Mataras simply stood still, and waited with his eyes closed, and head bowed. _There is more to this round than just a contest of power,_ he thought. _Sinon is looking for more than just a trophy in this game. But since she's in my way…_

He whirled the instant he heard a round of energy being fired and whipped out his sword, incinerating the crossbow energy bolt with a pinpoint burst of fire. "No mercy."

* * *

Up above on a statue of a Toa named Pouks, Sinon's eyes widened. Not just at the way that he had destroyed her projectile, not at the way that he had appeared completely unprepared and yet been so ready, and not even at the speed he had moved without activating a mask. No, what caught her attention was his eyes. The way that they stared straight into her own through her scope that she had mounted onto the bow. The way that despite their virtual origin, she could practically feel the fury of his soul leaping out to burn her through his visage.

"Don't…" she said as she trembled. "Don't…" He smiled up at her, drawing his sword with deliberation. The smile sent chills through her that no ice could ever hope to generate. Her heart began to pound at an intense pace, and she found it hard to even keep the bow trained on his location in general. "_Don't screw with me_!" Her scream echoed across the canyon, followed by the sound of another bolt being fired from her crossbow.

* * *

**Kirito: Have I ever mentioned how glad I am that Mataras and I aren't enemies?**

**Mataras: You could do it a bit more often.**

**Asuna: Seriously though, don't you think you could have been nicer to the girl?**

**Mataras: Hey, she said it! All bets are off during the tournament, so I'm completely within my rights, acting the way that I did!**

**Kirito: Dude's got a point, Asuna. If Sinon couldn't handle it, she shouldn't have challenged him.**

**Asuna: She couldn't have known what she was getting herself into!**

**Mataras: Maybe this will teach her not to run her mouth next time, then. But I digress from an important point. I would like to thank my friend DragonofAnnoth for providing me with another OC (Walter). Don't worry, we haven't seen the last of him- he'll be back for more. In any case, we are out of time, and it is time to say goodbye to our audience.**

**Asuna: Bye everyone! Thanks for reading!**

**Kirito: Make sure to leave a review, and check out Mataras' book and youtube channel through the links on his profile!**


	22. Crumbling Mask

**A/N: Hello everybody! This is the last chapter I can let loose before school starts, so I'm sorry to say that the writing pace will be considerably slower from here on out. BUT! As I have said, I will finish every story I start, so just hang in there!**

**Also, I have set up a video showing how to construct Toa Mataras using various Bionicle sets. You can check out the link to my YouTube channel, where I go by NotYourAverageJoe, where you'll find several other videos, including an intro video for this story and another one I have on this site. I also plan to do a Q&amp;A video here soon, so please send me your questions about myself and my work via a PM if you want to have it answered while you can see my face and hear my voice! Please show your support by liking and subscribing to my channel.**

**Now, without further ado, let's pick up where we left off, and see how Mataras handles Sinon!**

* * *

Crumbling Mask

Sinon's shot didn't even hit anywhere near Mataras. It smashed into a sculpture several yards to his right, destroying its base support. The massive piece of stone began to fall on him, and it most certainly would have crushed him. Sinon breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the statue fall, knowing that while it was not in the order that she had intended, she had won the match. And that meant-

_BANG!_ A loud explosion echoed across the canyon, setting Sinon's ears ringing and causing her heartrate to accelerate again. She looked down through the resulting dust with her mask of X-ray vision to see that Mataras had smashed the sculpture to pieces with his gauntlet. She guessed that he must have used a Kanohi Pakari to enhance his strength.

But she knew that he had a mask of shielding, which is what most players would have used in that situation. That, or they might have used their elemental powers to destroy the stone. So why did he put on such a show? Her breath caught as it hit her. _He wants me to see what I'm up against_, she thought. _He showing that he's not afraid of me- that he doesn't need to play this game by the normal rules to beat me. If that's the case…_

She began scaling down the statue, knowing that he would wait for her. He seemed to have no intention to make any aggressive moves towards her despite his expressed interest in making it to the tournament, and she wanted to know why. _He's showing off, but he hasn't tried to attack me yet! Why not?!_

* * *

Mataras waited patiently, a confident smirk on his mask. He had his cordak revolver out and ready just in case she tried to shoot him once she got close. But he knew that she wouldn't. She was afraid of him, even if she wouldn't admit it, but she also seemed curious about him.

"All right, what the hell is going on with you?!" she demanded as she stood not ten feet away from him. "Who do you think you are?! You think you get to just toy with people's heads or something?!"

"No," Mataras shook his head. "I am simply doing what I must. I care not for the method of my victory, only the rewards at the end of my journey." This seemed to infuriate Sinon, who threw her crossbow on the ground and charged at the Toa of Fire with her fists.

To her surprise, just before she tried to strike him, his expression changed from amused to one of mild concern. He deflected her right hand past him with a knife-hand technique before striking her with his palm in the abdomen, sending her reeling. She glared up at him from where she stood, and began to scream again.

"You think you can just get away with whatever you want?!" Sinon shouted at him, tears beginning to spill down her eyes. "What about the people around you, huh?! What about what they want?! What they need?!"

The boy in red armor sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry, Sinon," he said. "I don't know why this means so much to you. But this means my family to me. If I don't win this tournament and get the key to the Kini-Nui quest, I may never see them again. Which is why I cannot hold back at all. Not one bit. But if you want to tell me why this is so important, maybe I can help somehow. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can offer."

"_Why do you even care?!_" she screamed at him, throwing herself at him again. Again, he forced her back with minimal effort.

"I care because the last time I saw the look that you're giving me in someone's eyes, I found myself a brother in him," Mataras answered with a slightly bowed head. "Kirito and I nearly lost someone very dear to us. In that moment of desperation, we truly came to understand one another. We each knew exactly how much the other valued human life, and how hard we would fight to save it. Now that I see the same look in your bearing, I cannot help but think of him, and how he would have treated you."

"Look, I just want to beat you, and get to the tournament finals," Sinon snarled, her eyes still moist. "That's all that matters to me." _Why is he telling me all this? Does he think that we can just kiss and make up or something?!_

"Hmm…" Mataras said as he looked hard at her. Then he mentally commanded his blaster to holster itself and pointed at her crossbow. "Pick up your weapon then. We'll have ourselves the duel that you want so badly. Stand twenty paces away from me."

Confused and wary, but still curious, Sinon did as she was told. Mataras did not move the whole time until she was in the right position. When she was, he held his sword in a ready stance. "Now, this is how we're going to play this out," he said in a neutral tone. "You and I will each fire a single shot of our elemental power at the other. Whoever gets the other's health bar lower will be the victor. Agreed?"

"You have to know that my crossbow will fire a lot faster than you can conjure any fire," Sinon shot back. "You're practically throwing away the match here."

"Humor me," Mataras said as he picked up a rock. "When this hits the ground, we both take a shot. Agreed?"

"Fine," Sinon scowled. "Let's just get this over with." And she took aim with her crossbow, even as Mataras used the Pakari to throw the rock up as high as he possibly could. They both waited for innumerable seconds before they both heard the sound of a rock hitting the sand. Sinon fired immediately, her ice mixed with the lightning of her Inika nature and weaponry, straight at his leg. She thought it would be much more satisfying to shoot him in the face once he was down on the ground.

His sword erupted into flames and sliced the bolt in half.

Sinon gasped and tried to take aim with her weapon again, but Mataras would not be denied this time. He darted forward, slapping her bow aside with his sword, and causing her to nearly fall over backwards. He caught her up by the small of her back with his left hand and held the sword up to her throat with the other.

His eyes bored into hers, and she felt her fear return as she gazed into the depths of a merciless soul. Then his eyes blinked, and she felt her fear abate somewhat. He gazed at her with soft, wise eyes that almost seemed _old_. As she looked up at him, she could only think, _Who are you? And how can you disarm me like this?_

"How did you know where I was going to shoot you?" Sinon asked, unable to tear her eyes off of his.

"The next time you have a target in mind, make sure you don't look directly at it before you take aim," he smirked.

"You saw my eye through the lens of my scope…?" she asked, not sure if she believed him. But when he nodded, she pressed, "How? Where did you learn how to do that?"

"It's simply a skill," Michael shrugged.

"No, it's not, and we both know that," Sinon said, tears forming in her eyes again. "That's a strength that goes beyond stats. And I'm here because I want to know to be that strong myself! How did you become so strong?!"

He regarded her silently for a long moment with those solemn eyes. Then he finally said, "By learning the cost of what it takes to protect your loved ones. If you can accept that burden, then you will find what you desire."

Sinon's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped slightly. _Does he know about me…? Or did something like that happen to him, too?_ She reached up to touch his mask as he closed his eyes as if to ward off painful memories.

Mataras saw the gesture and shook his head once as he said, "I'll tell you the full story someday, if you so wish it. But for now…" He smiled slightly. "I'd rather you forfeit the match so we can both go to the finals. If you don't, I'll have no choice but to defeat you right here and now. Believe or not, I take no pleasure in slashing at harmless girls."

Sinon suddenly came to fully realize where she was as she looked down at herself. The mask she wore hid her blazing cheeks as she saw that he was still holding her near to her waist, his face rather close to her own as she leaned back slightly. She scrambled out of his grip and turned her back on him.

Swiping down on her menu, she arranged to forfeit the match. It was clear that she wouldn't be able to beat him like this. She would have to wait until he was distracted if she wanted to take him out. "You better survive until I see you in the finals," she snapped as she looked back at him with her coldest glare.

He met the hostile look with a small smile and the words, "I look forward to greeting you therein." Then she disappeared, and the sky above declared the match a draw. Mataras closed his eyes as he thought, _Kirito, Asuna, hang on just a little longer. I'm almost on my way._ When he opened his eyes to be congratulated by his friends, Sinon was nowhere to be seen in the waiting area, nor was her Toa of Earth friend.

* * *

"So…" Sayuri said with a cheeky smile. "I saw you and Sinon getting pretty close back there in the prelims." It was late at night, and Michael was walking Sayuri back to her house.

He raised an eyebrow at his sister as she spoke. How far she had come from being such a timid, weak little girl, to a confident young woman, he thought to himself. Outwardly, he said, "I saw something in her that reminded me of Kirito, that's all. And it wouldn't be the first time that I tried to help out a stranger in need."

"Okay, you make a good point there," Sayuri sighed. "It's kinda hard to come up with a counterargument when you use me as an example."

"You know me," Michael chuckled. "I always go for the sure shot."

"Do you?" Sayuri countered. "You took a pretty big risk with Sinon today, Big Brother. She could have still found a way to snipe you."

"Pffft," Michael grinned. "I doubt that."

"You obviously weren't watching her other matches," his sister replied. "She sniped this one guy from a mile across the field- basically from one end of the map to the other. And there was a ton of snow blocking the view."

"She has masks of accuracy and X-ray vision," Mataras countered. "And she obviously spent a lot of time developing the skill to use them. Since she was too rattled to use them, she couldn't beat me."

"You can only use one mask at a time, remember?" Sayuri shot back. "In that other match, she was calm and collected. But something about you unhinges her. Makes her falter."

"Fear," Michael murmured. "I gathered that she was afraid of me. She has a goal in mind that she sees as something that she needs to accomplish in order to get past something… But then I come in, an insurmountable object. Something that, for the first time, makes her consider the possibility of failure."

"I think you're only partially right," Sayuri said after a pause.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, it was pretty obvious that you freaked her out," Sayuri replied. "But I think that she's also drawn to your strength. Nothing seems to faze you, and she wants to know why."

"Yes, she did say something about that," Michael nodded, thinking back. "I'll have to confront her about that soon, before our paths part ways for good. I would hate to see someone crushed simply because they failed to reach one of their goals."

"Whoa," Sayuri said as she looked askance at Michael. "Sounds like you're more than just a little interested in this girl's problems, if you know what I mean."

"I do know what you mean, but I'm going to ignore it," Michael said as he hunched his shoulders. "Goodness, I thought that all the teasing would cease as soon as I got out of Aincrad. Seems I was wrong."

"You were wrong?" Sayuri repeated mockingly. "How do those words taste coming out of your mouth, Brother?"

"About as pleasant as acid," Michael muttered.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I'm proud of you," Sayuri said as smiled at Michael.

"That does mean a lot," he replied sincerely with a smile of his own. They reached her house, and he hugged her good night. "I'll see you tomorrow for the visit?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied. "It's Kirito's turn, right?"

"I was planning on visiting them both this time, actually," he replied. "Suguha hasn't met Asuna yet, so I figured she should at least meet the girl that she'll be fighting for tomorrow."

"Okay, sounds good," the girl nodded. "Good night, Michael."

"Good night, Sayuri," he answered.

* * *

"Good morning, Brother," Michael said quietly as he and Suguha looked down at the sleeping boy on his hospital bed. "I hope you've been keeping well."

"Do you really think that we'll be able to find him in ESO?" Suguha asked as she looked at the pale, thin frame of her cousin.

"I do," Michael nodded. "I refuse to accept that we could go to all this trouble only for fate to tear our family asunder once again. Time may try our patience, but I refuse to believe that it could be that cruel."

"How is he?" Sayuri said as she came in and looked down at Kazuto.

"The same as always," Suguha sighed. "I keep hoping that he'll wake up, but I'm starting to wonder if this is how he'll be for the rest of his life."

"Don't worry about it," Michael replied quietly as he placed a palm on Kazuto's heart, careful not to put too much pressure on his frail body. He closed his eyes and began murmuring something under his breath.

She couldn't hear what he was saying, but Sayuri guessed that he was praying. _I hope that God can hear you, Brother,_ she thought quietly. _Because we're gonna need every bit of help we can get to win this tournament, _and _beat that quest._

* * *

Their next stop was the hospital that held Asuna. Even though Sugou had told Michael not to go anywhere near her, he was not about to be ordered about by such a man. He used his personal card to enter the room, hoping that neither Nuboyuki nor Mrs. Yuuki would be inside.

They weren't, much to his relief. "So this is where Kazuto's girlfriend is?" Suguha asked as she looked around. "It's a really nice place."

"Wait until you see the girl herself," Sayuri said with slight grin. With that, they stepped past the curtain. Suguha's jaw dropped at the sight of the girl that lay in the bed. Despite being pale and thin, there was no denying Asuna's natural beauty.

"This is Asuna Yuuki," Michael said by way of introduction. "The former Vice Commander of the Blood-Oath Knights, our sister-in-arms… And Kirito's wife." He waited for Suguha's reply.

It wasn't long in coming. "His wi- You mean, his in-game wife, right?" Suguha said in shock. "He wasn't actually…"

"In Sword Art Online, everything we did and everything that happened to us was real," Michael said without taking his eyes off of Asuna. "So that meant that Kazuto and Asuna, not just the Black Swordsman and the Lightning Flash, took their relationship very seriously. They promised one another that if they ever escaped the death game, they would seek each other out. So that one day, they could be married in this world, too."

Sayuri was tempted to mention that they had only married under those conditions after Mataras essentially threatened to castrate Kirito, but she let it slide. She knew as well as Michael that their love for one another had been real. That is was still real.

"But… He's too young!" Suguha finally sputtered.

"If you had been through what we'd been through, you'd know that you have to grow up pretty fast in order to survive, much less succeed," Sayuri said quietly. "Your brother isn't the same nerd that you remember, Suguha. He became a strong young man in SAO. And Asuna's courage was of rare caliber. I don't doubt their commitment to one another one bit."

"But… Why didn't you say anything when we first met?" Suguha said, finally starting to calm down a bit.

"Judging by how you've reacted after two months of being used to him continuing to be in a coma, I'd say that we made the right decision," Michael said dryly. "You can only handle so much, Suguha. I simply tried to handle this the way that Kazuto would have, because I know he loves you. And I know that seeing you in such a state of confusion would break his heart."

Suguha sat down heavily, without a word. She had always hoped that Kazuto didn't hate her, but until he woke up, not even the words of his closest friends could assure her that this wasn't the case. She wanted to hear these things for herself.

Michael moved over and gently placed a hand on Asuna's shoulder and bowed his head prayer as he had with Kazuto earlier that day. While he did that, Sayuri sat down next to Suguha and said in a lowered tone, "Kazuto wanted to see you smile again. He swore that when he got out, he would do whatever it took to bridge the gap that he had created between himself and you.

"But Asuna and Yui were his whole world. They meant more to him than anything else. If he could have, he would have given his own life to save them from SAO. But somebody beat him to it." Sayuri waited as Suguha looked up slowly with curiosity in her eyes.

"Who beat him to it? And how?" she wondered.

"You're looking at him," Sayuri said with a slight gesture at Michael. "In Aincrad, if you died, you died here as well. Michael defied the decree of Kayaba in order to save Kirito's life, and he was killed because of it. I saw him shatter right in front of me, and there was nothing that I could do to stop it."

"He died…?" Suguha gasped as she looked over at the praying boy. "Then how…?"

"We don't know why, but we think that Kayaba chose to spare him," Sayuri answered the unfinished question. "He let us say our goodbye's in private before we woke up in the hospital, and when I first woke up, all I wanted was to die so that I could follow my brother." The girl bowed her head as she remembered those crushing moments. "I love him so much… He helped me get through my own despair and move past my regrets so that I became the person I am today. And I didn't want to live without that presence in my life. But then my family showed up, and I was glad that I had made it out, because I could see them smile one more time.

"Then Michael showed up and…" She dashed a few drops from her eyes and smiled. "I was happier than I'd ever been before. I had come home at last, and my brother was there with me." She looked over at Suguha, whose eyes were wide, and her mouth partly opened. "And I know that Kazuto will feel the same way once he sees his little sister waiting to welcome him home. And he'll be happier than you've ever seen him when he gets to see his wife again."

Suguha looked back at Asuna, saying nothing. But when she turned back, she said, "I want to see Kazuto happy… And I want to know how this girl made him so happy in such an awful place."

"Good," said Michael. The two girls looked up at him as he approached from Asuna's bedside. "Then let's start going home. We've a tournament to win tonight." After saying their farewells to the sleeping girl, they walked out the door, each one hoping that the next time they walked in, it would be when they saw Asuna looking back at them.

* * *

Sinon looked up at the Mangai Volcano without a word. _But this means my family to me. If I don't win this tournament and get the key to the Kini-Nui quest, I may never see them again._ That look in his eyes as he stared her down… _Which is why I cannot hold back at all. Not one bit._

"Hey, Sinon?" Shipugeru asked.

"Yeah, what is it?" she replied, not really paying attention.

"Did you mean what you said earlier today?" the boy asked hopefully.

"Oh," Sinon said as she shook her head to clear it. _I care because the last time I saw the look that you're giving me in someone's eyes, I found myself a brother in him._ "I dunno… I have a lot of things on my mind right now."

"Well…" he said, sounding a little dejected. "Just know… I'll be waiting for you. And I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines!"

"Thanks, Shipugeru," she said with a smile. With that, she walked off to go to the waiting area so that she could fight for the right to call herself the strongest. Her breathing was even and quiet as she entered the building.

But then she saw him. Tall and slim, with a massive sword sheathed on his back. Dark red armor mixed with silver. Standing with two other warriors, one in blue armor, the other in gold and green. Eyes locked on hers the moment she looked at him.

"Good past noon, Toa Sinon," he said as she walked towards his group. "I look forward to our next encounter."

"I wouldn't if I were you," she shot back. She wanted him to stop looking at her with those old eyes, and go back to the haughty, arrogant young man she had originally thought him to be. It just make things way easier when it came time to shoot him through the head…

_Do I really want to fight him?_ The thought popped up out of nowhere, and it stopped her in her tracks. _If somebody else takes him out, it would probably be better for me, so then I wouldn't have to deal with all of this- No, no, no, stop it! You have to fight him, or else you can't be the strongest one in this world! I have to face him! I have to _beat_ him!_

"You won't be able to beat him," said a quiet voice. Sinon whirled to see the Toa of Water called Sachi standing there. "Not as you are now."

"Oh?" Sinon said with scorn. "And are you here to hand me the miraculous bullet that will take him out?"

"No," Sachi said with a shake of her head. "You have to earn the right to beat him if you want to win. Something that nobody has ever done before. But I've told him, and now I'll tell you that I think you're the first person that has the potential to surpass him." With that, she walked away.

"I could… surpass him?" she wondered aloud. "How do they figure that?" Before she could say anything else, the contestants were teleported away, and the second ESO tournament was set to begin.

* * *

**Kirito: So is the Red Bullet a thing yet, or...?**

**Asuna: What's the Red Bullet?**

**Mataras: ... It's the ship name that one of our readers came up with. I'm the Red Swordsman, she's the Phantom Bullet...**

**Asuna: Aw, that's so cute!**

**Mataras: Shut up!**

**Kirito: Seems like we touched a nerve, haha.**

**Mataras: Kirito, you are one smart comment away from me making you the subject of a load of harem jokes I have at the ready!**

**Kirito: I don't have one in this story! Joke's on you!**

**Mataras: That's it! Litrsoh, sic 'em!**

**Kirito: Wha-? Wait, can't we talk about thi- Ack!**


	23. Ignition

**A/N: Hello everybody! I am back, this time with a more action-loaded chapter than contains some hints at fluff! I know SOME people were disappointed with the lack of action last chapter, so... yeah, here ya go! By the way, I'm hoping that we might be able to hit two hundred reviews with this chapter...? Yes, no? Think about it?**

**P.S. Keep the questions coming in for my upcoming Q&amp;A video on YouTube!**

* * *

Ignition

This year there were over sixty competitors in the tournament, last Mataras had checked. The map that they were on was a replica of Mata Nui on a third of the scale of the actual island itself, made to scale so that half of the tournament would not be wasted on the Toa trying to find one another. Another helping factor was that the sky was dark, save for a few-dozen stars of unusual brightness floating in the heavens. Each one represented a Toa that remained in the contest, and when it went out, that meant that player had been defeated. You could tell who's star it was if you had a mask of X-ray vision, but other than that, one would not be able to tell if those near to them were friend or foe.

_More than sixty stand between me and my goal…_ He removed his sword from its resting place on his back and readied his gauntlet. _Let the games begin._

He heard a rustling movement to his right, and he immediately flicked his blade out and blasted the shrubbery to splinters. A loud cry was heard, and out jumped a Toa of Ice- though not the one that Mataras wanted to see. "You've got balls, I'll give you that, fire-spitter," he growled in a voice sharp as an icicle. "Think I I'll freeze 'em when I'm done working you over."

"Hmm…" Mataras smiled lazily. "Do you know what they call ice when it meets fire? Steam- nothing but hot air."

* * *

Sachi and Leafa were spawned close to one another, and they quickly teamed up to take down another Toa of Air that had tried to get the jump on Leafa. Leafa used her mask of quick travel in rapid succession to teleport randomly around their enemy so that he would be distracted enough to overlook Sachi's outline moving in closer as she remained hidden by the power of the Kanohi Volitak.

Next thing the competitor knew, he was being stabbed from behind by Sachi's Voya Nui straight sword, and then beheaded by Leafa's golden blade. The two girls were breathing hard from the tension of the first match, but they grinned at one another.

"Nice work," Sachi said.

"Thanks," Leafa replied. "Not too bad yourself. Oh! Your arm!"

"Huh?" Sachi looked down at her shoulder plate to see that there was bad crack from where their opponent's scythe had struck. "Oh, don't worry about it. I can fix it, see?" Her mask began to glow, and to Leafa's surprise, the crack repaired itself.

"You have a Kanohi Kiril, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, my mask has the ability to regenerate my armor," Sachi answered. "But it doesn't do anything for my health, unfortunately."

"That's still pretty handy," Leafa said as she equipped a long golden shield on her left arm. "Should we try to find your brother so we can come up with a game plan? Assuming he hasn't burned down half the island by this point." Sachi giggled at the thought as the two of them began to move towards the location where Mataras' Toa Star shone above in the night sky. Leafa lead the way, using her Akaku to tell which star was the one that they sought.

* * *

Mataras looked down at the blackened body of his opponent with disdain. "You must have gotten here through luck," he muttered as he walked away. "Half of my preliminary matches were more exciting than that." He didn't put away his sword, like most people would have- he knew that such a move could constitute as suicide in here. _Especially with the cold-hearted sniper breathing down my neck…_

He looked up at the sky to see two stars moving closer to his location, one blue and the other green. He didn't have a mask that enhanced sight, so he activated the Kanohi Hau just in case it wasn't Sachi and Leafa. He watched the tree line of Le-Wahi for a moment before two female Toa stepped out of it, weapons pointed at him.

_Wonderful_, he thought to himself as he readied his sword. The two of them were not his friends- but he had heard of them before. One used a war hammer as her weapon of choice, oddly enough for a Toa of Water. She was known as Toa Mira. The other used twin knives, and was known to be an expert user of her Kanohi Kakama. Her name was Toa Ava. Supposedly, they were twin sisters in real life, and they had ranked quite high in the last year's tournament. In fact, it had been Eugene against these two at one point, if the rumors were true.

"Come on out, pretty boy, and we'll play nice," one of them giggled. "We know you're a gentleman- won't you take a couple of ladies out for a nice evening?"

"I'll take you out all right," he muttered under his breath. In a louder voice, he said, "Whatever gave you the idea that I'm a gentleman? This is the first that I've heard of it."

"Aw, don't play shy," the girl giggled. "We saw your match with Sinon. If you put your sword up to my throat, I promise I'll behave, too." She winked, sending a chill down Mataras' spine. _This is… disturbing, to say the least._

"Sorry ladies, but I already have dinner plans," Mataras said, his cordak revolver popping up on his shoulder. "I'll just have to take a rain check-" He dropped the shield and shot Mira in the face, shattering her mask of strength and sending her flying several yards. "-because my plans are up in the air right now." He unleashed fire at Ava, who was now ready.

She countered his fire with a wind funnel sprouted with her knives. When they abandoned the elemental contest, Mataras used the enhanced reflexes that the Calix gave him to fend off her speedy melee attacks. This went on for some seconds, while Mira got to her feet and tried to pick up her hammer- only to find that she no longer could without her pakari mask.

"Sister!" she cried. "I can't use my weapon!"

"It's okay," she called back as she ducked under a stab from Mataras' blade. "We'll just have to-"

"Take a nap," Mataras finished for her as he slammed his gauntlet into her gut, cutting off her words and sending her crashing into the ground hard enough to send spider web cracks out from under her. He followed this by stabbing her through the chest and igniting his blade, burning her up from the inside out and finishing Ava off.

He looked up, expecting to see her sister running away in terror, but instead he was greeted with an armored fist to the face that sent him reeling. "Very good," he muttered to himself. "She's good." He looked up again, this time to see Mira now with a mask of night vision on her face.

She activated the mask, attempting to blind him, but he closed his eyes and sent forth an arc of fire that forced her concentration to break and buying him some time. He opened up his eyes even as he took aim with his cordak revolver. He wasn't as accurate as Litrosh would have been, but he was still a good enough marksman to hit her if he had a clear shot.

He fired at her again, hoping to finish this skirmish and resume his search for Sachi and Leafa. Unfortunately, she wasn't out of masks yet. Her mask glowed again, and she floated above his missile before setting back on the ground again.

"A mask of levitation, eh?" he mused. "Very well utilized. I'll admit, I had thought that this match would be over by now."

"And how about you, Toa Mataras?" Mira giggled. "All of this fighting, and barely a scratch on you! You're even more impressive up close."

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me," Mataras shot back. "I only hold true to the Law of the Sword when in battle. A law that you clearly have yet to master if you ever want to win anything in here- or in the real world, for that matter."

"Okay, I have no idea what you're talking about…" Mira said with a cocked head. "What's that sword you were talkin' about?" In response, Mataras shot her with the blaster, hitting her in the leg and blowing it completely off.

She shouted incoherently at him as he walked up and planted his foot on her chest. "It seems that I win again," he smirked.

"You cheated!" Mira spat at him.

"I don't care," Mataras shrugged as he ran her through. "I care not for the methods of my victory, only-"

"The rewards that await me at the end of the tunnel," a familiar voice said. This was followed by the sound of an energy bolt being prepped to fire.

"Hello, Sinon," Mataras said without turning around. "I thought snipers weren't supposed to let their victims know where they lie in wait."

"We make exceptions for special people," the girl replied coldly.

"Oh, I'm special, am I?" Mataras chuckled, his mask beginning to glow slightly.

"Sorry, special was the wrong word," Sinon hissed. "More like specific people. Pricks, idiots, cocky kids, etcetera. You get the drift."

"And I fall into… which of those categories?" Mataras asked, still trying to needle her.

"The dead one," Sinon grinned with wild eyes as she pulled the trigger. The bold launched itself from her weapon to speed towards Mataras' head- only to vanish into a tiny portal just before it could strike.

Before she could wonder where it had gone, Mataras whirled around with a scowl on his mask and said, "Down." He swung his blade up to where her head had been a moment ago and let loose a fire blast that smashed into a massive Toa of Stone. The hulking figure took a step back from the impact, then was forced onto his knees as a bolt of ice hit him square in the back of the head.

Sinon's eye widened as she realized that Mataras had used his newly obtained Kanohi Olmak to redirect the projectile to strike an enemy she hadn't even realized was there. "How do you keep doing that?!" she shouted angrily at him as she got to her feet.

"I pay attention to what happens to be going on around me," Mataras replied as the massive Toa got to his feet. He was even bigger than Death Kanoka, he realized. "Something a sniper like you should do more often. Honestly, how did you get nicknamed as the best sniper in this game?"

"Shut up!" Sinon shouted at him.

"Fine, I'll shut up if you can help me remove this obstacle," Mataras shot back. "Deal?"

"I don't want to help you!"

"Okay, then I'll simply create a portal to somewhere else, and you two can have fun all by yourselves," Mataras said dryly. "You have equipment for a close encounter, don't you?"

"Rrrgh…" Sinon snarled as the Toa of Stone readied his scythe and regarded them silently. "Fine. This guy's going to be a problem, though. That's Dragon Song, the guy that almost beat Eugene in last year's tourney. Although, some say that he might have won if Eugene hadn't managed to use his Olmak on him."

"You are the new wielder of the Olmak, correct?" the other Toa finally spoke.

"I am," Mataras nodded.

"Then you have taken that which I seek," Dragon growled. "And now I shall claim what belongs to me."

"What is it with guys and talking weird?!" Sinon shouted at Mataras.

"I can't speak for him, but I already gave you my reasons why," he shrugged. "Now do you want to stand around all night and yell me, or do you want to help me put some holes in this nuisance?"

She scowled at him, but moved to back him up. "I'm not giving you any guarentees that I won't shoot you by accident," she said as she leaped up into a tree.

"I know, but I also know that you want to take me on by yourself," Mataras chuckled as he readied his sword. "Otherwise, there would be no challenge in it, am I right?"

_Damn him!_ She hissed in her head. _How does he keep figuring me out?!_ "Let's just get this over with!" she shouted.

Mataras nodded and rushed at Dragon, a smile on his face. "Dragon, eh?" he said as he lit up his sword. "Too bad for you- I was once known as 'Dragon Master!" He smashed his blade into the massive scythe that his opponent wielded, surprised by the amount of resistance he encountered. Dragon shoved him back and used his elemental power to cause the ground beneath him to open wide.

Mataras activated his Miru and leg jets to fly out of the hole before Dragon closed it back up. As he rose, something streaked underneath his legs so close that he could feel the air ripple with power as it passed him by. The projectile slammed into Dragon, pinning his foot to the ground with ice.

He looked down at the makeshift trap, shrugged and activated his Pakari Nuva. The ice splintered as he simply took a step forward. _Blast it!_ Mataras thought, his mind racing. _His physical strength may very well match my own. But he doesn't seem all that fast…_

Shrugging his nyrah ghost blaster into position, he shouted, "Dragon! Your mother was a salamander!" It was by no means an original, funny, or even clever, insult. It did, however, get the big Toa's attention like Mataras wanted.

A massive stone was hurled in his direction, and Mataras readied his sword, though he hoped that Sinon would cover him so that he'd have a clearer shot. She did.

Another blast from her crossbow was on its way, smashing the boulder to pieces. He took the opportunity to lock on to Dragon's location and let the big missile from his shoulder loose. The big Toa tried to slice the projectile in half with his massive weapon, but he was a tad too slow. Chains of energy wrapped around him and tightened hard enough to make him fall to the ground with a grunt.

"Nice work, Sinon," Mataras said as he grinned up at the girl in the tree. "If you don't mind, please refrain from shooting him or me for a moment. I have some questions I want to ask him."

In response, Sinon jumped down from the tree with a nod. Mataras had spared her life so that they could settle things later when they were alone- it seemed only fitting that she did the same, at least this once. _I just want this to be over with fast so I can shoot him dead_, she thought as she watched Mataras grab the chains and heave Dragon up so that they were mask-to-mask. _Then I can prove that I'm even stronger than he is._

"All right, spill it," Mataras said. "What did you mean by the Olmak belonging to you?"

At first, Dragon spat abuse at him angrily, but when Mataras picked up the nearby fallen hammer, and smashed it into his knee to show that he wasn't against using torture methods, the man became more cooperative. Dragon was big, but he was also very smart, and he saw no point in antagonizing his captor any further.

"Eugene is a liar and a thief," Dragon growled. "It was I who claimed the mask as part of the quest, but he struck me down from behind in order to take it for himself. I once considered the man a friend, and I paid dearly for it. And ever since then, I have been working hard so that the next time I faced him in combat, I might reclaim my prize. But you stole that opportunity from me. Now it is the way of things that I must reclaim my lost honor by defeating you, fire-spitter."

"What is it with hardcore gamers and their virtual honor?" Mataras wondered aloud. "Either way, you won't be killing me today."

"Perhaps not," Dragon agreed. "But someday, when the time is ripe, and I have trained hard enough to match you, I will have my prize. Now claim your victory, fire-spitter. You have earned the right to it, unlike Eugene. Therefore I have no issue with being felled by your hand."

"Hmm…" Mataras smiled. "You are a strange one. Mayhap I shall grant you the duel you so eagerly seek in the future, after I have obtained the mask of light."

"I look forward to the day," Dragon smirked back. Mataras nodded as an understanding passed between them. He then finished the fight quickly by severing his head, quick and painless.

"Men are strange," Sinon muttered. "You want to beat the ever-loving crap out of each other one moment, the next you're just… friends?"

"Rivals, more like," Mataras chuckled. "Being friends is what comes after that."

"Right…" Sinon sighed. Then she hefted her crossbow. "Well? Shall we pick up where we left off? I kept up my end of the deal. Now it's time for you to come at me properly this time."

"I could…" Mataras nodded. "But I'd rather ask you something first."

"Sorry, not in the mood," Sinon said. "Let's get this going."

Mataras' eyebrows met in a dark 'V'. His mask glowed ominously, and Sinon felt a disturbance behind her. Turning around out of habit, she gasped as she saw a portal opening up ten feet away from her. Turning back around, she stiffened as she saw that Mataras had his cordak revolver pointed right at her. If the missile hit, she would be blasted into the portal to who-knew-where.

"Do you still think that fighting someone that's always two steps ahead of you is such a great idea?" he asked dryly. "Or would you rather talk and consider your options?"

"All…All right," she conceded, her shoulders slumped. "What do you want?" _Will I never be able to beat him?_

The portal vanished and Mataras put away his blaster, though his sword stayed out and ready. "Let's take a walk," he said firmly. "I want to know what you know about a player calling himself 'Death Kanoka'. I didn't see him anywhere on the registered player's index leading up to the tournament, so I assume that he's under some kind of alias."

"Are you talking about that guy that supposedly kills people with a black Kanoka disk?" Sinon said as she fell into step beside her 'partner'.

"Aye," Mataras nodded.

"I can't tell you anything more than the next player," Sinon shrugged. "Just the same rumors that you've probably heard. I don't even know if the guy's real or not."

"Oh, he is very real," Mataras said, his voice dangerously hard. "But it's his ability to kill people that I question… Without a NerveGear, that simply shouldn't be possible anymore…"

"What are you mumbling about?" Sinon sighed. "If I knew that the tourney was gonna be this boring, I'd have just resigned or shot myself with my crossbow."

"Death Kanoka is no joke, Sinon," Mataras said as he grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him. "He is dangerous, and if we run into him, you can be sure that he will try to kill you- not just in this tournament, but in real life as well. I don't want you dying on me, too."

Sinon was at a loss for words as she stared into the eyes of the armored boy holding her arm. But she managed to say, "Why do you care whether or not some crack head kills me? You don't know me."

"Death Kanoka is _not_ a 'crack head'," Mataras said as he shook his head. "He is a dangerous criminal that I've had to face off against before… In another life… He and his friends killed so many people, that we lost count."

"What?!" Sinon gasped. "How could he-?"

"Shh!" Mataras hissed as he clamped a hand over her mouth to silence her. He settled into a crouch and waved at her to follow him. She did so quietly, still unsure of what had come over the enigmatic Toa of Fire.

They reached a ridge where they could see, down below, a Toa of Ice and a Toa of Earth going at it. The Toa of Ice was blindingly fast, and his adversary was massive and powerful in his build. Mataras instantly recognized him: "Death Kanoka…"

"The guy in the black cloak and armor?" Sinon said as she looked through her scope. "That's the guy you were so worried about? Dragon was bigger than he is!"

"Sinon…" Mataras' voice was strained, something she had not heard from him before. "If he pulls out a kanoka disk launcher, shoot him immediately. And shoot to kill."

"Okay, bossy," she muttered as she took aim. "I can just shoot him now, if you want…" _Wait, why am I taking orders from this guy?! I'm supposed to be looking for opportunities to kill him!_

Her thoughts were interrupted as Mataras replied, "No, not yet. I want to see if anything specific happens prior to him shooting his victims."

"What are you looking for?" Sinon asked, her curiosity overriding her irritation again for the moment.

"I don't know," Mataras said as he shook his head. "Just keep your bow trained on him and tell me if anything sticks out to you."

"Hmm… Well, the white Toa is called Pale Rider, and he's one of this year's top contenders…" Sinon murmured to herself. "Nothing yet… Wait… What's that?" No sooner had she spoken than Death Kanoka reached into his cloak and slammed a green orb into his opponent's chest. "A zamor sphere? Why would he-?"

"Sinon, what are the effects of a green orb?" Mataras said, cutting her off.

"Paralysis," she replied as she watched the Toa Metru of Ice fall over, stiff. "Why?"

"What is the black Toa doing now?" Mataras asked back, his voice sounding even more strained than before.

"He's getting something out of his cloak… A launcher and a disk from Onu-Metru," Sinon said. "Is that-?"

"_Shoot him now!_" Mataras cried, his voice and eyes etched with terror. Sinon's trigger finger twitched and a bolt of ice sped towards Death Kanoka. The black Toa jerked back at the last split second, in the middle of making some kind of cross sign with his fingers. The bolt sped past him, and Sinon gasped in awe. Only one other person she knew had those kinds of reflexes, and that was…

"No, no, no…" Mataras groaned. "It really is one of them… He must be using one just like me…" He sank to his knees, looking utterly defeated. Normally this is when Sinon would have tried to shoot him, but the look in his eyes reminded her of the one that she saw in her mirror every night before she went to sleep. They were the eyes of someone whose past had come to haunt them.

"I told them we should have finished it… Those cowards…" he groaned as he held his head in his hands. "I should have finished it all myself…"

"Mataras!" Sinon hissed. "Pull it together! Death Kanoka is getting ready to shoot the disk at Pale Rider!"

"Huh?!" Mataras' eyes and head shot up as he scrambled to get a good look at the situation again. "No!" Death Kanoka aimed at his victim- only to have the white Toa leap to his feet and kick his adversary's legs from under him and fashion an icicle dagger.

Sinon grinned, sure that her kinsman had the upper hand now. Mataras on the other hand, could not stop the horror from rising in his chest. Death Kanoka may have fallen down, but he still had his launcher, primed to fire.

He shot Pale Rider from point-blank range, the disk not even travelling a foot to hit him. There was a flash of light, and when it faded, not even a heart stone remained. Death Kanoka got to his feet and brushed himself off. Since his disk was made in Onu-Metru, the whirling piece of metal returned itself to his launcher. Looking up at where the bolt of Ice had come from, he shouted in his eerie voice, "When I find you… I will grant you the same sentence as this man! This power I wield… is only getting started! My Death Kanoka… Will bury itself in your heart next!" Though they were ducked down so that he could not see them, Sinon shivered at the thought of those murderous red eyes being directed at her.

"Well, it looks like you were right," Sinon said as she looked over at Mataras. "No heart stone means no connection, which means… Uh, Mataras? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not," Mataras said with a shake of his head. His eye were wide, as though he were seeing things before him that were not really there. Was he reliving something, she wondered? "Pale Rider's blood… is now on my hands."

"Mataras, what are you talking about?" Sinon demanded. "You didn't kill that guy. Kanoka did. So do you just sit around the whole tournament and whine about it, or do you wanna go catch him?"

"You have no idea what you're asking for, Sinon," Mataras said. "Death Kanoka is far more powerful and dangerous than you realize. He's killed dozens in his time, maybe even more than a hundred. Another life claimed by him wouldn't make a difference in his eyes, as long as he knows he has the ability to do it."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sinon demanded. "Do you know the guy or something like that?"

"I suppose you could say that…" Mataras said. "Either way, I'm handling this one on my own from here on out."

"Is that so?" Sinon said as she pointed her crossbow at him. "Then I suppose I can just shoot you here and now, then. Seeing as we're not allies anymore, anything goes, right?"

"Rrrgh…" Mataras was the one to growl with frustration now. "Why do you care?! What do you get out of this?!"

"People keep getting in the way of our duel," Sinon said with a shrug. "So I guess that the only way we're finally gonna get to go all out is if we kill everyone else first. Starting with your old friend."

"He is not my friend," Mataras spat angrily. "And if you want to come along, I won't stop you. As a matter of fact…" He got up, took in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly in a calming manner before extending a hand out to the girl on the ground. "I would be glad to have you along, Sinon."

"And I'll be glad to pair up with a competent partner for once," Sinon grinned, extending her fist. "It's been a while since I've been able to completely rely on someone in a combat situation like this."

Mataras clanked fists with her, even as he wondered, _How in the world am I supposed to protect you from Laughing Coffin's wrath? They want me, not you…_ Out loud he said, "Once everyone else is down, I swear that I shall give you the fight you so long for."

* * *

**Kirito: Whoa, are you okay, dude? You looked like you were getting really unhinged today.**

**Mataras: Give me a break- I felt like the ghost of Saw just showed up, only to find out that he's actually alive and ready to chop me into pieces.**

**Asuna: Kirito, be nice! Seriously, it's like I'm your guy's maid or something; I always have to tell one of you to be nicer to the other one!**

**Mataras: Well, seeing as you our maid, would you mind getting us some sandwich- OW!**

**Kirito: Yeah, you really had that one coming... Man, even I've never been hit by Asuna that hard.**

**Mataras: That's going leave a mark... Think I'll turn in for the night.**

**Asuna: Maybe I went overboard with that slap... He's taking this one pretty hard.**

**Kirito: Yeah, he feels responsible for the whole Laughing Coffin thing since he suggested the raid. But, since he's out of commission right now, I guess we'll have to do the honorable mention.**

**Asuna: Oh, right! Mataras wanted to thank Northern Warriror for contributing the powerful Toa Dragon Song to the story. Seems like we haven't heard the last of him, either... Hmm...**

**Kirito: I wanna see that guy fight again, that's for sure.**

**Asuna: Seriously, what is it with you and fighting...?**


	24. Death's Face

**A/N: Okay! We hit 200 reviews, and so I decided to spend my day working on a new chapter for you all as a reward! I have been looking forward to this chapter for quite some time, and I do so hope that enjoy it too! Slight spoiler: some serious fluff lies in this chapter. Also, some serious action.**

* * *

Death's Face

The two allies made their way quietly through the jungle of Ga-Wahi, neither one saying a word for some time. Finally, Sinon said, "So do you have a plan for catching Death Kanoka?" They were shadowing the black Toa as best as they could from the jungle as he walked on the beach.

"I'm planning on waiting until he jumps his next target and ambush him at close range," Mataras replied. "Hopefully he'll be preoccupied enough with the task at hand to notice my approach. Just in case, however, I want you to take a shot at him before I move in for the kill. Even if you don't hit him, I just need another distraction."

"And what if he kills you?" Sinon asked, her chest feeling rather tight for some reason. "What do I do then?"

"Find Sachi and Leafa," Mataras said in a hard voice. "And try to stay away from him. Don't engage him unless there is no other choice. If he finds you, he will kill you."

"What makes you so sure that I would be a target?" Sinon replied curiously.

"He knows who I am," Mataras answered. "And anyone associated with me is an enemy of his. So because it's my fault that you are involved in this, I am honor-bound to protect you, even at the cost of my life. He knows that, so I believe that he will try to kill you just to get to me… I am deeply sorry, Sinon."

"Hmph," Sinon scowled. "If you really want to apologize to me, you'll survive this thing until you and I can have our one-on-one match, you hear?"

"Aye," he nodded. "Now then, we- oh no."

"What is it now?" Sinon muttered as she followed his lone of sight. "Oh." Their quarry had vanished. "So now what do we do?"

Mataras didn't respond immediately, instead choosing to look up at the sky to look at the Toa stars. "Hmm…" he finally mused. "He either has a mask of invisibility, or he used a mask of teleportation. I deem the latter to be the case, though."

"How do you figure that?" Sinon asked.

"Look back at the sand," Mataras said as he pointed at the beach. "See how the footprints suddenly vanish?" Sure enough, the big footprints ended abruptly. "He can teleport anywhere that he's already been before with the Kualsi, if I'm not mistaken."

"Okay, yeah," Sinon nodded. "Good point." Looking up, she saw that almost half of the Toa stars were gone by this point. "I can try and figure out which star is his, but you said that Death Kanoka probably wasn't the name he entered under, right?"

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "Still, if you look at the Earth Toa stars, maybe I can figure out which one is him by the name he used. At the least, we can rule out a few possibilities."

"Okay, give me a second," Sinon said. She focused her Akaku mask on the sky above, looking at the stars he had specified. There were only four Earth Toa left, so it didn't take her too long to have the names memorized.

"All right," she said as she shut off her mask and turned to Mataras. "There's four of 'em left. There's Hades, Morning Twilight, Sterben, and Moriah. Any of those sound right to you?"

"No…" Mataras said with a shake of his head. "Though I suppose it would too much to hope for that he would use his old name… Hmm… I don't think it could be Moriah- that happens to be a girl's name, and I seriously doubt that he would use such a common name. He and his friends preferred to use more frightening names than something so simple. Hades was the Greek god of the undeworld… Perhaps that could be him…?"

"Well, Hades and Sterben are closing in on each other, and they're in Onu-Wahi right now," Sinon added. "I can't tell if they're underground or not, though. But most of the favored fighting areas in Onu-Wahi are underground, and it would be easier for one of them to commit the murder underground, where it's dark."

"True," Mataras nodded. "Let's go there, then. His mask glowed and a portal opened before them, leading to a tunnel mouth into the earthen territory. "Here- take my hand."

"Wha-?" Sinon said as the Toa of Fire grasped her hand and pulled her through the portal. As soon as they were through, she yanked her hand out of his grasp and said, "What the hell was that?!"

"The portal would have vanished as soon as one of us went through it," Mataras replied with a shrug. "I don't have enough practice in keeping it open for very long yet, and I didn't want us to risk getting separated."

"Yeah, well next time give me some warning," she scowled as she started walking into the tunnels. _Wait, what do I mean, next time?!_

Mataras came up next to her and lit up the dark tunnel with a small flame from his hand. "Can you use the Akaku to see through the walls of this place? See if you can find Sterben and Hades, please."

"Workin' on it," Sinon muttered as she accessed her mask powers again. _I can't believe I'm helping him like this,_ she thought. _Honestly, I'd have thought he was crazy if I hadn't seen Death Kanoka in action._

Her train of thought was interrupted as she finally saw movement in the tunnels ahead of them. Two Toa were going at it pretty hard with their swords, though only one of them seemed to be using their elemental powers, and she could see their player ID's as well. "They're about a kilo ahead of us," she said, breaking into a run. "We'd better hurry."

"Did you see which one was Death Kanoka?" Mataras asked as he ran to catch up with her.

"Nah, there's too many walls in the way right now," she said. "I could see their ID's, but I couldn't tell which one was which. I'll be able to tell when we get closer."

"Very well," Mataras said. _I should have replaced my mask of illusion with a mask of speed,_ he thought sourly. He said nothing more until they could hear the sounds of battle around the corner. Here he stopped Sinon and said, "All right, I have a plan."

"Lay it on me," she said with a grin.

"I want you to find a way around so that we can come at him from separate directions," he said quietly. "I'm not waiting for very long though, because I don't want to take the chance that one of them kills the other."

"I'll be quick," she assured him. "Good luck."

"Same to you," he said as they clanked fists. Then she turned around and disappeared into the tunnels. "Be safe," he murmured. Then he prepared to face his enemy. _It's time to bring Laughing Coffin down- for good this time._ There was one thing that he hadn't told the others about the NerveGears, not even Sachi.

The safety function on the old helmets weren't tied into the game, but to the NerveGears. He had managed to convince Kikuoka to have a specialist re-enable the safety function on the technology as a favor in exchange for his more-than-willing co-operation. But it was highly unlikely that a Laughing Coffin member would have been able to figure out how to do that- though how they managed to keep ahold of their NerveGear eluded him for the moment.

Nonetheless, it was the only explanation for Death Kanoka's supernatural reflexes- even after two months of rehabilitation, Michael was still weaker than he had been before he had logged into SAO. Not to mention that he had been pushing himself mercilessly to regain his strength. In any case, it was unlikely that Death Kanoka had been able to restore his vitality enough to use the Amusphere rig properly. He _had_ to be using a NerveGear, Mataras thought.

_Good_, he thought darkly. _So when I kill him in here, his life will end out there, too. 'Tis only fitting for such a murderer._ Then he readied his sword and fire to end the nightmare.

* * *

Sinon looked down the tunnel she had selected from around the corner. Sure enough, she could see the two players going at it, even in the dim lighting of the underground passageway. "Okay, she whispered as she used her Akaku to look at the two players. Both of them were bulky in build, but only one of them was wearing a cloak. "Gotcha," she grinned as she saw his player ID- Sterben.

She took aim with her bow and was about to fire when she felt something hit her in the back. The next instant, she fell to the ground, twisting so that she could look up at the person that had stunned her. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked into the red eyes of Death Kanoka.

"How…?" She said in a hoarse voice. He didn't reply, instead beginning to trace the pattern of a cross with his left hand. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was the exact sign that he had made just before he had shot Pale Rider.

_No…_ she thought as terror shot through her. Her attacker wordlessly pulled out his disk launcher with a dramatic flair. _No…_ she repeated in her head as she started to cry. _No, I don't want to die! I don't wanna die! Please, don't kill me!_

Death Kanoka took aim at her body, his black disk primed to kill. "This is righteous judgement," he said in his deep, scratchy voice. "Now… accept your punishment!" Death's face had revealed itself to Sinon, and she wished that she had never come into this world.

"_You first!_" a familiar voice suddenly roared. The next instant, fire roared and slammed into the black Toa, driving him back and setting his cloak on fire. A stream of curses flew from Sterben's mouth as Sinon saw Mataras leap over her, blade in hand.

Death Kanoka snarled angrily and put away his launcher while drawing a slim rapier. Mataras went on the offensive, unleashing fire slashed relentlessly at his hated enemy. "Get up, Sinon!" he shouted. "Run!"

"I can't!" she sobbed. "He got me with a zamor sphere!"

Mataras resulting bellow shook the tunnels as he redoubled his efforts to destroy Sterben. "_You've claimed your last life!"_ he shouted as he unleashed another flood of fire that forced his enemy to retreat.

He then fired a missile from his shoulder at the ceiling above the former Laughing Coffin member, bringing the tunnel down on top of him. The man roared angrily and leaped away from the Toa of Fire, cutting himself off from the two teenagers for the moment. Mataras sheathed his blade and scooped up Sinon and her crossbow with great swiftness.

"Come on," he growled as he opened another portal. "We're getting out of this place." Already the rubble was moving in response to Sterben's elemental power. Before it was cleared away though, they were long gone.

* * *

Mataras had set them up to land in Po-Wahi, where there were still some caves to hide in. He took the time to notice that another ten or so players had been cleared out, leaving just under twenty players in the tournament. Fortunately, none of them were nearby, nor did they seem to be heading in their direction. Then he rushed into a small cave, where he set Sinon down gently. "Are you okay?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yeah…" she said shakily. "What happened with Hades? I thought that Sterben was fighting him."

"It was an illusion on Death Kanoka's part," Mataras replied as he sat down heavily. "As soon as he ambushed you, his double vanished. I thought that the Mahiki could only change your own appearance, but I suppose it can project illusions as well if the user's skill is high enough."

"What happened to Hades, then?" Sinon asked.

"I took him out quietly," Mataras said. "That's when I noticed your situation. Either way, Hades is safe from Death Kanoka now."

"Did… Did you kill Sterben?" Sinon asked fearful of the answer.

"No," Mataras said as he shook his head. "I think that he took some heavy damage, but he was trying to clear out the rubble to get to us, so I know he survived. Blasted murderer…." His eyes tightened as he thought of Laughing Coffin.

"Yeah, well…" Sinon stood up, the paralysis now gone. Fortunately, the zamor spheres weren't of the greatest quality, so the paralysis didn't last long. "I'm going back out there. I'm not waiting for him to get the jump on us."

"Oh no, you don't," Mataras said as he grabbed her hand. "I am not letting you face that madman alone."

"You can't stop me," she said as she tried to pull away, but his strength was far above hers and she couldn't break free. "Let go. Let go!"

"No!" he snarled. "I will not lose another life to him! I am going to protect you, Sinon, no matter the cost to me!"

"Don't talk like that!" she snapped as she turned back to face him. "You can't just go saying things like that! You can't mean them!"

"I can and I do," he said in a lower voice. Yet the fire in his eyes was no less for it.

"Okay, then…" Sinon said as she finally yanked her hand out of his- though it was likely that he had let her go. "If that's how it is, you can protect me for the rest of my life!" And she tried to bring her fist down to his chest, only to have him catch the hand. She tried again with the other hand, but only succeeded in getting the same result. "Oh, so you'll hold my hands now, too?! Even though they got blood on 'em?!" New tears began to fall down her face as she wept bitterly in despair.

Mataras' eyes widened for a second, then softened considerably. He let go of her hands and opened his menu. To her shock, he completely removed his armor, leaving him completely at her mercy. "Show me, Sinon," he said quietly. "Show me the face of someone you believe to be a murderer." To her surprise, he looked different than he had before.

His previously short, brown hair was now long, straight, and jet black. His eyes were no longer hazel in color but such a dark brown that they were nearly black, too. Somehow, she had the sense that this was his true face- or at least, as close as the virtual world could come to recreating it.

In response, she angrily accepted his challenge, removing her armor to reveal her avatar's form. "There," she said bitterly. "This is the face of someone that killed a man. His blood is on my hands, and I'll never be able to forget it. I killed a man when he tried to rob a bank. I grabbed his gun and shot him dead."

Mataras looked downward and reached for her hands, taking them in his own. "Tell me, Sinon," he said quietly. "What is another bloodstain on my palms when a river of crimson tears already flows from my hands?"

Her eyes widened as she looked into his eyes, which did not waver. "You…?"

"You may well have guessed by now, but Sachi and I did not transfer from any normal game," he said. "We come from the world of the floating castle, Aincrad. We are survivors of Sword Art Online- the death game."

"Oh my god…" she gasped, her eyes widened. "I knew it…"

"Aye," he nodded. "We escaped from that hell two months ago. But over the course of two years in that place, I earned myself a title- the Red Swordsman. I was known for hunting down criminal players and killing them." Sinon's eyes widened again, but she couldn't speak or move. "I killed so many that I lost count, Sinon. But I always remember why I killed them."

"Why…?" she finally was able to say.

Mataras smirked without any humor in the expression. "For the same reason as you, I suspect," he replied, startling her. "You don't seem like a murderer to me, Sinon. I killed them to protect those around me. For every life I took, I saved dozens, or even hundreds."

"And… Death Kanoka…"

"He is also a survivor of Aincrad," Mataras nodded. "He and around fifty others made up a guild called Laughing Coffin. They had one purpose in the game, and that was to kill other players. Whether it was for sport or for money, they never turned down a chance to show off their power. They were the red players, and I was their hunter.

"Those that worked to clear the game formed a massive party and we engaged in a battle to wipe them out- or we would have, if things had gone my way." His eyes tightened with anger as he continued, "Others wanted simply to take them prisoner, though circumstances mostly prevented this. Forty died, more than half of them by my hand… We captured the remaining ten, and I wanted to execute them, but the others refused, saying that we would be no better than they if we killed them while they were helpless. I finally let them have their way, but now I wish that I had gone ahead and struck them down. Then perhaps Death Kanoka might have never been born. And then nobody would have died."

"But you did everything you could," Sinon said. "This isn't your fault."

"Laughing Coffin was my responsibility," Mataras said with a shake of his head. "And now I have to finish things here, in the world of power, or else my nightmare will never end. I must finish what I started. I will feel no remorse for what I must do, because I know that it has to be done."

"But-"

"No, Sinon," Mataras said in a soft voice. "There is no other way. The only way to truly defeat men like them is to excise them from this world. And that is a burden that I have no compunctions about carrying." Then he waited for her reply.

After some minutes, she said, "I… I never thought that someone would be able to tell me something like that. Tell me that I did the right thing, and why I did it. Nobody I've ever met has ever been through that hell…" she looked up into the face of the pale swordsman and said, "But you've been through even more than I have… Thank you, Mataras."

He smiled, leaned forward and whispered softly, "Michael."

"Huh?" she said.

"That is my name," he said quietly as he pulled back. "I won't ask for yours. But I meant what I said. When this is over, I want to meet you in the real world, Sinon. I want to get to know you- the real you. I want to help you as much as I can."

"I… I'd like that," Sinon said with the ghost of a smile as she wiped the tears away. She returned her hand to his grasp without even really thinking about it. "But you promised that you'd fight me at the end of this. I hope you won't be holding back when that happens."

"Of course not," he smiled, this time fiercely. "I always keep my promises to my friends, even unto death." And he kissed her on the brow, causing her jaw to drop. He turned away as soon as he pulled back, surprised by his own impulsiveness.

"Uh… Um…" Sinon stammered. "So, uh… Death Kanoka?"

"Yes," Mataras said as he re-equipped his armor. "Him. We ought to have the advantage out in the open this time."

"How do you figure that?" Sinon asked as she also put her armor back on.

"Last time, we were in a cramped area, unable to set you up with a proper sniping position," Mataras answered as he turned around, suddenly all business. "Now that we're in Po-Wahi, there are plenty of statues you can use if I open a portal up to the top of one of them."

"Okay, but what're you gonna do?" Sinon asked.

"I'm going to be bait," Mataras grinned. "But I'll be bait that fights back."

"But he could kill you without even needing to get close to you!" Sinon gasped. "You can't expose yourself like that!"

"Actually, I doubt that he can kill me," Mataras smirked. "Did you notice how he switched from his launcher to his sword as soon as he was forced to fight me? If his disk really could kill people from within the game, wouldn't he have simply shot me?"

"That's… a good point," Sinon said with a frown. "But then how is he killing people?"

"I doubt that he is working alone," Mataras replied, the smile gone. "Did you see how he made that sign before he killed Pale Rider?"

"Yeah, he did it to me, too," Sinon nodded.

"I thought something like that might happen," Mataras mused. "This match is being broadcasted on television everywhere. Let us assume for a moment that he has cohorts. All that they would have to do is break into the target's home- which would be easy to do since most hardcore players live alone- they just have to turn on the television set and wait for him to give that signal. As soon as he shoots the target, they kill them in the real world simultaneously."

"But how would he know where they live?" Sinon countered.

"Easy," Mataras replied. "If you want to have top prizes, you have to enter your real-life information, correct?" When Sinon nodded, he said, "Then all he would need to do is use either a mask of invisibility or x-ray vision to look at the player's address. After all, it wouldn't be that hard to get your hands on one of those masks."

"But… does that mean…?"

Aye, it is highly likely that one of his cohorts is in your room in the real world right now," Mataras nodded. "However, I doubt that they will act unless Death Kanoka manages to shoot you. If that was not the case, you would be dead already. But they want it to appear as though they have power in this world, not necessarily the other one- this is how they think."

"But who would work with him? And how does he make it look like they died in-game?" Sinon felt a little better hearing that, but not by much.

"Firstly, there are several Laughing Coffin survivors," Mataras said with a raised finger. "Secondly, I had been wondering the same thing about the apparent death, but I think I have a solution for that as well… Tell me, do you remember what the numbers on his disk said?"

"No, not at all," Sinon said as she shook her head. "It was too dark and I was scared out of my mind."

"Understandable," Mataras said as he placed a comforting hand on Sinon's shoulder. "I only ask because I know that each kanoka disk has a series of three numbers on them. The first one indicates where the disk was made, the second indicates the ability the disk carries. The final number is the level of energy it carries. If I recall correctly, Onu-Metru disks always return to their user after hitting the target, correct?"

"Yeah," Sinon nodded. "I used to experiment with those when I was first getting started in ESO. That sounds right to me."

"Good, then think back," Mataras insisted. "What kind of effect was that disk creating? Teleportation?"

"No…" Sinon shook her head as she thought back. "It looked more like… A shrink disk. He can shrink an opponent down by several sizes- but I've never seen somebody get shrunk so much that you couldn't see them."

"Perhaps he used a level nine disk?" Mataras guessed. "According to Litrosh, that is the purest disk you can obtain, correct?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't sure if it actually existed," Sinon murmured. "But I guess it makes sense… How are you figuring all of this out?"

"My brother and I once figured out how people fabricated deaths in a safe zone," Mataras replied with a shrug. "Apparently we were blessed with deductive reasoning abilities."

"Okay, mister smarty-pants," Sinon said as she rolled her eyes. "You don't need to show off like that."

"I state the truth in response to inquiries," Mataras grinned, knowing that his older speech patterns irritated Sinon.

"Seriously, you gotta stop talking like an old guy," Sinon muttered. "It's weird."

"In any case, I did not enter my real-life details," Mataras said. "So Laughing Coffin has no idea where I live. Therefore, Death Kanoka cannot kill me in here. However, I believe that I'll be able to kill him." He lowered his voice again so that any cameras watching wouldn't be able to hear him.

Sinon's eyes widened again. "How?"

"He is likely using a NerveGear," he answered. "However, unlike me, he likely didn't think to re-enable the safety feature. It happens to be a complicated process, and I doubt that he has anyone to fix the rig, even if the thought crossed his mind. Regardless, even if he does survive, I know someone high up in the government that will take care of him, and the rest of Laughing Coffin when this is over."

"Okay," Sinon sighed. "Are you sure you'll be okay with killing again?"

Mataras rolled his eyes and said, "It's not as though I take pleasure in killing people. But I have no doubt that it is the right thing to do in situations like these."

"Okay," she said. "Just… Please don't make take the final shot, okay?"

"I won't let it come to that," Mataras promised her. "I intend to finish him off myself, believe me." He extended his fist to her, and she slammed it hard enough to send sparks flying. "I take it that you are prepared now?"

"You know it," she grinned. "Let's go get him, partner."

"Aw, they finally made up!" a familiar voice giggled.

"Oh no…" Mataras said as he planted his face in his palm. "Leafa, how long have you been there?"

"Since 'I won't let it come to that'. It was so sweet," she giggled as Sachi walked up behind her.

"Am I allowed to shoot her?" Sinon asked Mataras. "I really wanna shoot her."

"I'm considering it," Mataras said with gritted teeth.

Leafa laughed until Sachi ribbed her with an elbow. "What?" the Toa of Air chuckled.

"They're serious," Sachi deadpanned.

"No they're not! Right guys?" She turned back to face them, only to freeze in place when she saw Mataras' nyrah ghost blaster pointed at her, paired up with Sinon's crossbow. "I guess they're not, huh…? Eh, hehe…"

"Now that we have that out of the way…" Mataras said as he put away his gun. "How many competitors remain?"

"Not including us, three others," Sachi answered. "I'm guessing Death Kanoka is one of them, right?"

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "I managed to wound him, but he's far from finished with us. Sinon and I are getting ready to ambush him, actually, so I would appreciate it if you two would go take out the other two players, please."

"No way!" Leafa said indignantly. "We're not leaving you two to fight that guy alone!"

"Yes we are," Sachi said. "I trust Brother. If he says that they have this covered, then they have it covered. We need to make sure that they don't get bothered by anyone else so that they can focus on Death Kanoka."

"Well… Okay," Leafa finally said. "When you put it that way…"

"Thank you both," Mataras said. "Normally I would want you by me, but Sachi is right. And it's me and Sinon that Kanoka wants. I don't want you caught in the crossfire, just in case. At the very least, we can get his health down low enough for you two to finish him off."

"Okay," Sachi nodded. "Good luck, Brother." She hugged him tightly, which he returned.

"Fight well, dear Sister," he said quietly. "I'll see you soon." Then they parted ways.

As they left, Leafa could be heard saying, "I can't believe we crossed Mata Nui just to be told to go away!" Sinon and Mataras laughed one last time before getting ready to face their enemy for the final showdown.

* * *

He didn't take very long to come into view. His cloak was now gone, and Mataras could see that his armor was a mixture from Metru Nui and Bara Magna. He looked powerful- and Mataras knew that he was. At his waist was the disk launcher, and in his hands he carried a zamor sphere launcher and his rapier.

Something about the weapon he carried seemed awfully familiar to Mataras. And the red eyes that seemed to glow… _Wait,_ he thought with a start. _Kirito once mentioned an enemy with red eyes, armed with a thin sword. Who was it…? Not PoH… But someone close to him…_

It was like an itch that he could not yet scratch, but he drew his sword and prepared to scratch the issue in question from existence. _His name doesn't really matter- just his death._

"Welcome to your death," he said as he raised his sword. "What do you say we do this the old-fashioned way, eh? Just for old time's sake."

"Hmm…" Death Kanoka's red eyes narrowed. "Very well… You always did like to show off… Red Swordsman, Mataras." He put away his sphere launcher and held his sword in a ready position.

"I suppose that is one thing we share in common," Mataras smirked. Then he too settled into a carefully crafted stance. "Let us see who is the stronger, once and for all- the Laughing Coffin or the Moonlit Black Cats."

"Yes… let's," Death Kanoka growled. Then the final battle between the survivors of Aincrad began. And off in the distance, atop a statue of Toa Pohatu, Sinon waited for her chance. The chance to end Mataras' nightmare forever.

* * *

**Kirito: So is the Red Bullet a thing now...?**

**Mataras: Close, but not quite. Hehe. I like keeping people on their toes about this kind of thing. Also, cliffhangers. I loooooove leaving my audience with cliffhangers.**

**Asuna: They don't seem to like that...**

**Mataras: Oh really? then why do they keep coming back?**

**Asuna: ... Fair point.**

**Mataras: I thought so.**

**Kirito: You seem more upbeat than the other day.**

**Mataras: Eh, what can I say? I'm in a good mood.**

**Asuna: Why?**

**Mataras: Do I need a reason?**

**Kirito: Usually you do.**

**Mataras: That's it! When I get into the volcano, you're going to end up on the pointy end of my flame sword!**

**Kirito: Aw, come on man! You wouldn't- forget it, you would.**

**Mataras: You have about a month to get back on my good side.**

**Asuna: Wow, that's pretty generous of you!**

**Mataras: Since school is back on, that means he's got four or five chapters, actually.**

**Kirito: That makes more sense.**


	25. One Last Coffin

**A/N: So... School is looking pretty light this week, so that just means one more week of speedy updates for you guys! Any complaints? No? Didn't think so ;)**

**In any case I hope that this chapter meets your standards better than the last one, because the action will be intense enough to send sparks flying, and the fluff will continue, albeit in a more serious manner than some people might be used to. Enjoy, and don't forget to review- you guys all rock!**

* * *

One Last Coffin

Mataras and Sterben moved so fast and fierce that a cloud of dust billowed and the power that came from the collisions of their swords sent shockwaves throughout the replica of Po-Wahi. But Sinon could use her Akaku mask to see through the cloud, allowing her to focus on the battle at hand without worrying if she might miss or not.

Her eyes widened as she watched Mataras fight- really fight- for the first time. He was fast, powerful, unpredictable, and savage. His sword strokes were so fast that most of the time, she could only get an outline of where they _had_ been, only actually seeing the weapon moving whenever it slowed down upon colliding with his opponent's rapier.

Sterben, however, had the advantage in speed, be it ever so slight. His attacks were less powerful, but he hit Mataras more often than vice versa. Also, his thicker armor made it hard for Mataras to land a solid hit on him. However, he seemed to have a more rigid form of attack, one that Mataras was able to predict enough that he could dodge the attacks more often than not.

_Mataras- no, _Michael_ is counting on me_, Sinon thought grimly. _And after he saved my life, I won't do anything less for him._

* * *

"Tell me," Mataras grunted as he shoved his enemy away. "Who else from Laughing Coffin is in on this little charade of yours?"

"Charade?" Sterben asked as they stood a few feet apart.

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "I'm fairly certain I know how you've been able to maintain the illusion that you can kill in this world. Using a shrink disk, you make your opponent's so small that they cannot be seen, while your partner or partners kills the target in the real world. Or am I wrong, Death Kanoka?"

"Clever…" Sterben growled. He raised his sword again. "Too clever to be allowed to live!" He thrust and Mataras reversed his grip on his sword so that after Sterben slid past him due to a deflection, he was able to immediately stab him in the back, finally scoring a solid hit.

"Sloppy," Mataras said with a shake of his head. "You Laughing Coffin scum always got sloppy whenever your plans were discovered. You could always cover up the actual murder, but never a foiled attempt."

"You talk too much," Sterben growled as he whirled around with his sword in hand. "You… never used to talk this much…" His red eyes narrowed as he realized that he was missing something.

_Red eyes…_ Mataras thought hard as he lunged with a overhand slash at Sterben. _Where in Aincrad did I see them…? Not at the raid… Before that…_ His sword was blocked, and he shoved Sterben backwards- right into Sinon's line of fire.

The bow fired and Sterben turned at the sound. He managed to turn at just the last second so that the bolt smashed into his mask, destroying the item covering his face and avoiding major damage. He leapt backwards, away from the Toa of Fire as he tried to cover his face. It was only for a second, but Mataras saw it- a pale, emaciated face with sharp cheekbones that stood out in an unnatural manner, showing an obvious illness of some kind. Then a mask of speed replaced it, but the image was burned into Mataras' memory.

Sterben glared up at Sinon and whipped out his disk launcher, primed to fire. Mataras knew that he only had one shot at saving Sinon now. _Red eyes… Red-eyed- _"XaXa," he said firmly. The man's body jerked involuntarily, throwing off his aim badly enough that he hit the statue Sinon was standing on. As it shrunk down, the girl used an ice ramp to avoid receiving fall damage. The disk attempted to return to Sterben's launcher, but Mataras beat it out of the air on its return trip to him.

"Red-eyed XaXa," Mataras repeated with a cold smile. "PoH came up with the plans, but it was you who personally committed the most murders in Sword Art Online, was it not?" The black Toa took a step back in surprise- he had honestly never thought that anyone would recognize him by his old avatar handle, even if they had seen his face. Even in SAO, he had hidden behind a skull-like mask with gleaming red eyes, so few people had seen his actual face. The first time that Mataras had actually run into him personally was at the scene of Grimlock's crime, back in the days when Asuna had just regained friendly terms with them.

"I thought so," the Red Swordsman said as his smile grew. "Now _I_ will be the one to execute the ultimate judgement upon you."

"And what if you do?" XaXa snapped. "This isn't SAO… Mataras. Killing me here, accomplishes… _nothing_."

"Oh contraire," Mataras chuckled. "Did you know that on the day of the launch, the NerveGear's safety was disabled? Of course you did. But did you also know that plugging it into another game does not turn the safety back on?" XaXa gave a start of surprise, prompting Mataras to say, "I thought not. Which means that when I strike you down, you will die, as you were meant to die in Aincrad."

"Not... if I kill _you_ first!" And they began to dance with their blades again.

"You would be correct," Mataras grunted as he shoved XaXa back and retaliated. "But fortunately for me, the same person that took records of who I told him were the surviving red players was the same man that arranged to have my helmet repaired."

"Gah-?!" XaXa was finally at a loss for words. That's when Sinon took her second shot- from point-blank behind his back. He grunted heavily as the ice blast tore through his armor and draining more of his health.

The girl had been approaching them from sculpture to sculpture, waiting for another chance to shoot Death Kanoka. Now she leaped back as Mataras plunged his sword into Xaxa's back, pinning him to the rocky ground. "This is it, XaXa," he growled. "The end of Laughing Coffin. When I get out, I will be making sure that everyone involved in this is arrested and jailed for life if they do not receive execution."

"You think… this is the end?" XaXa chuckled. "You're wrong, Red Swordsman… You're still missing one thing… _He'll_ find you… _He'll_ kill y-" Mataras severed his head with blazing silver eyes.

"No, XaXa," he growled. "You and the rest of Laughing Coffin are done for. This last coffin that you prepared will be the one that you yourself will be lowered into. I wash my hands of you and yours." The body was then incinerated by his wrath before the countdown effect could even take place, leaving nothing of his body. Up above, XaXa's Toa star winked out.

Mataras suddenly felt a great weariness overcome him, and he began to fall over. He would have hit the ground from the sheer mental exhaustion had Sinon not caught him up. "Hey there," she said. "You okay?"

"Aye," he nodded as he stood back up with her help. "Thank you- for everything."

"You're welcome, Mataras," she said with a slight smile. "Is it over for you, then?"

Mataras shook his head in response. "No, not yet. Even though I have done away with Laughing Coffin, one task remains to be done in this world before Sword Art Online is truly finished."

"And what's that?" Sinon asked.

Before Mataras could answer, he heard the sound of flight equipment being used above him. Sachi touched down a few feet away, but Leafa was nowhere to be seen. "You're hurt," Mataras said with a slight grimace as he looked at her health bar.

She shrugged and said, "It's not too bad. Forget me, look at you! Did Death Kanoka do that to you?"

Mataras nodded and replied, "Aye, XaXa. That was him."

"Red-eyed XaXa?" Sachi asked with wide eyes. "I remember Kirito going against that guy. He said he was the toughest player that he ever fought- other than Heathcliff, I guess."

"I would be inclined to agree," Mataras nodded. "PoH may have been the brains, but XaXa and Jonny Black were easily the most capable assassins- though I would say that XaXa had more skill of the two of them."

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but where did Leafa go?" Sinon asked as she looked up at the sky. "Did she-?"

"Yes," Sachi nodded. "She took a hit from a Toa of Stone the wrong way. I managed to finish them off, but that was a hard fight, I admit."

"Well, she's probably waiting for you guys back at home," Sinon said as she put away her crossbow. "So we had better finish this tournament up."

"Wait a moment, what about you?" Mataras asked. "Who will help you if the other cohorts are?"

"Cohorts?" Sachi interrupted.

"I'll explain later," Mataras said. Addressing Sinon again, he said, "Well? What is your plan for that occurrence?"

"I have a friend that lives nearby," Sinon said easily. "Remember Shipugeru?"

"Oh yes, the Toa of Earth," Mataras nodded. "But perhaps to be safe, I can arrange for my contact in the government to send over some men to your place just to scare the other criminal off? Er, wait… Right, I can't ask for your personal information here."

"No, it's okay," Sinon said as she leaned closer to Mataras. "My name is Shino Asada," she whispered in his ear. Sachi sniggered as Mataras stiffened with surprise, much to his embarrassment. "And I live at…" Mataras nodded as he stored the information away in his mind for later use.

"Actually, you happen to be within thirty minutes of where we are diving from," Mataras said, struck by a thought. "Would you object to us going over to check on you ourselves? It would likely be faster than the police."

"No, that's okay," Sinon said with a shake of her head and small smile. "I appreciate it, but if you could send the cops that would just be fine. I don't want to trouble you any more than I already have."

"Very well," Mataras said with a slight bow. "As you wish." When he straightened, he said, "Well, since we are forbidden from forfeiting the tournament, how should we play this out? Shall you and I duel, then I commit suicide? There is absolutely no chance of me killing Sachi."

"Hmm…" Sinon grinned as she took out her crossbow and started fiddling with the ammunition case. "In that case… You guys are too banged up to any fun to beat, so…"

"Er… What are you up to?" Sachi asked curiously.

"I'm guessing that you guys have never inspected a Voya Nui weapon up close?" Sinon answered.

"I have a sword from there, but I don't see what that has anything to do with it," Sachi said with a cocked head.

"Well, you know how lightning gets added as an attack bonus?" Sinon said as she continued to mass with her weapon's mechanisms. When Sachi confirmed that she did know, Sinon continued on to say, "Well, the power source for that is a battery- they have to be replaced every now and again. But, if you discharge some of your own elemental power into it…" She shot a bit of ice into a small, glowing orb that was white in color, almost like a miniaturized zamor sphere. It immediately began to glow brighter, and the other two flinched.

"Eh?! What did you just do?" Mataras asked as Sinon tossed the orb at him.

When he caught it, Sinon grinned and replied, "Turned it into a grenade that'll kill all three of us at the same time."

"EH?!" Mataras threw it back. "What does that accomplish?!"

"I suppose if the final contestants die simultaneously, they are declared the winner, and the reward is split," Sachi said calmly. "Nice thinking, Sinon."

"No it is not!" Mataras sputtered as the orb cracked. "Who is going to get the golden masks?! We need those to rescue Kirito and Asuna!"

"Don't worry, you can have 'em," Sinon said as another crack appeared and light began spilling out of the bomb. "I got what I wanted, so you two can have whichever ones I get."

"Thank you, Sinon," Sachi said with a smile. "For everything that you've done today."

"You're welcome," she said while returning the smile. Then she turned back to Mataras and extended her fist, which he clanked after a stunned moment. "Thanks, Michael," she said with a softer smile.

"And thank you, Shino," he said with a returned grin.

"Aw, Leafa was right, you two are pretty sweet," Sachi giggled. Mataras shot her a baleful look, then shot the orb with his fire. The next instant, he could feel Sinon throwing her arms around him as the bomb went off, destroying the three of them instantly.

* * *

Michael's face was beet red as he woke up alone in his room. "That was… interesting," he muttered as he stretched his cramped muscles. They had tensed up while he was fighting against XaXa, so he was careful in his initial movements. He shuffled over to pick up his phone and was about to hit the dial-up button when the door flew open and Sayuri threw her arms around her brother.

"You did it!" she squealed. "You finally brought down Laughing Coffin! I'm so proud of you, Brother!"

"I heard that you won the tournament," Suguha said with a smile as she walked in. "Very well done, both of you."

"Eh, it was thanks to Sinon that we pulled through," Michael shrugged. "Her and you, Suguha. Thank you. Had you not helped us, we never would have had a chance." He bowed to her slightly as a mark of respect.

"You're welcome," Suguha smiled again. "When you log back in, you should each find two golden masks in your inventory and a congratulations message from the Game Masters."

"Good, good," Michael nodded. "Now then, I have somewhere to be. And he put away his phone and started walking out the room.

"Wait, where are you going?" Sayuri asked him.

"I know Shino said that she would be okay, but I need to make sure of it myself," Michael called back. "Don't worry, I shouldn't be long. But if I don't return within an hour or call within thirty minutes, send the police to the address I text you." And with that, he was gone.

"Uh… What?" Suguha said as she turned to a smiling Sayuri, who was trying very hard not to laugh. "Hey, what just happened?"

"My Big Brother finally has a crush!" Sayuri said as she burst out laughing.

* * *

Michael biked to where Sinon had told him where she lived. Apparently, she lived in an apartment complex on the second floor. It wasn't too long before he found the place, and he parked his bike at the front, making sure to lock the chain on it before dashing through the cold evening air.

At first, as he approached the building she mentioned, everything seemed well. But as soon as he climbed up the last step, he heard a familiar scream, mixed with a series of thumping sounds and another, hysterical scream- one that sounded of madness.

_The other Death Kanoka_, he thought angrily as he dashed for the door that he heard the sounds coming from. To his frustration, it was locked. _Very well. Time to put my rehabilitation to the test! _"RAAH!" he roared as he spun his body, fast, to gain momentum for his reverse kick that broke the door in two.

He looked in the apartment to see a girl on the floor, clothes partially torn off, and a young boy crouched over her, with the look of a rabid dog on his face. Froth was even on his face- and Mataras rose up within the boy called Michael.

Not even letting out another shout, he darted forward and smashed his knee into the boy's face, causing blood to spurt out of his nose as it was broken. He cried out as he scrambled back to his feet with surprising quickness. But Mataras was far from finished.

Lashing out with a straight kick this time, Mataras got him square in the chest, sending him crashing into a table that served as a desk for homework. Now, he finally turned around and said, "Run, Shino!"

Then to, his surprise, the other boy grabbed him by the shirt and slammed his head against the corner of a wall, stunning him temporarily. "Get away from my Asada!" he screamed. "This is your fault, _you damned freak_! She's mine, mine, _mine_!" and he pulled out a silver tube from his pocket.

"A freak, am I?" Mataras growled. He was stunned with blood coming out of his head, but even in such a condition, he would not go down easily. His right palm shot out in flat-handed technique, smashing into his attacker's throat and sending him reeling. The blow wasn't sufficient enough to be deadly, but it did hurt, even in the boy's manic state. "Says you."

He went back against the other wall, coughing and gasping for breath as Mataras tried to get to his feet. But the second Death Kanoka would have none of it. "_Die, damn you_!" he screamed, finally unveiling the needle.

_Uh-oh,_ Mataras thought blearily. He readied himself for the next attack, his hands coming up in a defensive stance- just as Shino slammed a radio into her attacker's head. He swayed, dropping the syringe onto the floor, wide-eyed, and now much like Mataras in the sense that his head hurt very badly.

But there was a fundamental difference between the two boys. Mataras was used to pain. It was his daily companion, a constant that he rarely had anywhere else. Every day in Aincrad, when a sword pierced his flesh, he hurt. When those he loved wept in despair, he hurt. When his family remained trapped while he had regained his freedom, he hurt. His enemy had never known such pain before in his life.

_This is nothing to the Red Swordsman,_ he snarled in his mind as he straightened his fingers into a spear-handed technique- his deadliest form. He darted forward before Shino could take another swing at her attacker, and jammed his 'sword hand' into the shorter boy's solar plexus just as he drew in another breath to scream. He coughed up blood onto Mataras' jacket and went limp on his arm, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Mataras shoved him off, none too gently, before sinking back against the wall and sliding down to the floor. He felt his warrior's blood settle down as the girl he knew was Shino sat down beside him. Michael watched her with bleary eyes as she reached towards his head tentatively.

"Are you…?" she asked, afraid of hurting him more.

"I will be fine," he nodded. "But I would appreciate some ice while I call the police."

"Let me do that," she said as she moved to the refrigerator while Michael pulled out his phone. She kept glancing over at the still form of her former friend to see if he was going to be getting up at any moment.

However, Michael looked up at her and said, "He will not be bothering you again. Where I hit him, I could have killed him if he were breathing out. Fortunately for him, he was breathing inwards, so my technique simply knocked him out- and will stay that way if he knows what is good for him." He glared at the boy, as if daring to get him back up. He looked as though he were about to add something else, but then the police came on.

"Hello?" Michael said. "Yes, I need help with an attempted assault… Yes, I and another teenager have sustained injuries, though I think that none of them are life-threatening… Aye, I can… Er, wait… Where are we, Shino? I believe I may have a concussion… Let me hand you over to the resident of the apartment we are at." He passed the phone to Shino, who took it and placed the cloth that she had wrapped the ice in gently on his head. It immediately turned red with his blood, and she widened her brown eyes in concern.

She seemed to be saying something, but Michael wasn't comprehending. He realized that he was looking at Shino- the real Sinon- face to face for the first time. She was pretty, with brown eyes, short hair that was a bit messy from her encounter, and tied into small pigtails on either side of her face. Her mouth and nose were both small, and her frame was lean, yet short. _She's beautiful…_ he thought groggily as his vision began to blur. _Uh oh… I seem to be passing out… And if I'm thinking about her in such a bold manner, I must really… have… taken a bad… hit… _Darkness enveloped his mind, just like when the world of Aincrad disappeared around him.

* * *

Michael slowly came to awareness, first feeling something in his right hand. _No_… More like something was enveloping his hand. It was a warm, comforting sensation, and he smiled slightly as he struggled to return to consciousness. Then other senses began to come back, and he realized that his head was killing him.

He groaned slightly as he stirred, only then realizing that something was indeed holding his hand. Or rather, lying on his hand. His eyes snapped open as he saw a small tangle of brown hair resting atop his right arm, two small hands resting on his own, keeping it warm. "Uh…?" He blinked rapidly, trying to remember how he had ended up in such a state. _Was I just in Sword Art Online…? Wait, no, that was two months ago…_

His eyes widened further as his memories returned, including his victory in tournament, and his rescue of the girl that had help him win it. He gave a slight start of surprise as he realized that Shino was in a hospital room with him, and that she had fallen asleep on his hand.

"She hasn't left your side the whole time," said a familiar, quiet voice. Michael turned to see Sayuri with a soft smile on her face as she looked on at her brother. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," he admitted. "How long have I been out?" They were both keeping their voices down, as not to wake Shino.

"Only a night and a day," Sayuri replied. "I know that this is probably the last thing on your mind right now, but we only have three days before Asuna's wedding."

Michael nodded, his chin firming. "I remember that," he said. "Did Shino give you the masks yet?"

"No, she hasn't left you this whole time, remember?" Sayuri replied patiently with a grin. "She rode with you to the hospital in the ambulance, and she got ahold of Suguha via her cellphone. Once were all here, she explained everything, including the way that Laughing Coffin killed people- they used some kind of poison on their victims to kill them. Made it easier to slip the whole thing past the autopsies since the bodies were already decomposing after they were found."

Sayuri looked down at Shino, who was still asleep. "She was so worried about you the whole time, but I told her that you'd make it through. After all, you're the Red Swordsman, right?"

"I don't know…" Michael sighed. "I cut it close with that little encounter."

"Still, you saved her life," Sayuri countered. "She told me what happened, and if you had gotten there any later, she might have violated, or worse, killed."

"Hmm…" he sighed as he looked down at the sleeping girl. "What happened to her attacker back in the apartment?"

"Turns out that he was her friend from IRL- we met him as Shipugeru," Sayuri said with a slight frown. "He was Xaxa's younger brother."

"Xaxa?" Michael asked, hoping that she would get the message.

"Yeah, he's finished," Sayuri nodded. "And every single Laughing Coffin member is in jail, waiting to be questioned. According to Mister Kikuoka, chances are that only half of them were involved, but it's likely that their cases will be re-evaluated. They might even go to jail."

"They had better," Michael growled.

"Relax, Big Brother," Sayuri said soothingly. "At the least, they'll be under so much surveillance for the rest of their lives that they won't be able to cause trouble for anyone again."

"Hmph," he muttered.

"Mmm…?" Shino mumbled, slowly waking up. "Wha…?" She lifted her head, looked at Michael with foggy eyes and blinked twice.

"Good morning," he said with a smile. "Did you sleep well? I trust that the pillow had enough cushioning?"

"Oh, good morning…" she mumbled, still out of it. "The pillow was… Huh? Wait, what?!" She jerked back, much to Michael and Sayuri's amusement. "You're awake!"

"Aye," he chuckled.

"Aye!" she parroted, though in much louder tone, which made Michael's head hurt, causing him to wince painfully. "Do you have any idea what you put me through?!"

"I saved your life, if I recall," Michael shot back. "And that would explain how I ended up in here. Should I not be asking you the same thing?"

"You-!" She froze, then slumped back down. "You're right. Thanks again, Michael. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"Hey," he said as he brushed some of her hair out of her mouth. "It's all going to be fine. You don't need to apologize to me." The movement made her blush, but she didn't make a move to retreat as he stroked her chin once before letting his hand flop down to the bed again.

"Er-hem," a girl coughed. "Am I intruding?"

"Suguha, the next time you do that, I will invite your friend Recon over to your home," Shino said as she jerked her gaze up.

"My VR apartment, right?" Suguha shrugged. "You don't know my real address, and he'd be too scared to come in anyways."

"A fair point, but if I let your mother know that you will be having company when we get home…" Michael let the threat hang the air for a moment. "Think about it." Suguha paled. She knew by now that if pushed far enough, Michael would carry out his threats.

* * *

Michael would not be allowed to be discharged for a few days due to the severe concussion he had received. However, he managed to get Kikuoka to allow his NerveGear rig to be set up in the hospital, so long as his vitals were monitored during his dives.

"Why do you need it so badly, though?" Kikuoka had asked him over the phone.

"You might want to do some research on a man named Sugou Nuboyuki," Michael had responded. "He is not what he appears. And I have a feeling that more than one foul plot was cooked up in Element Six Online."

"All right," Kikuoka had said. "But I can't keep doing favors like this for you all of the time, understand? You've done a lot for our team, but even I have my limits."

"I understand," Michael replied. "Thank you, sir."

* * *

Now, with only two days left to rescue Asuna and Kirito from the virtual world, Michael prepared to carefully don the NerveGear. His head still ached badly, but he had to go in to rescue his family, no matter the cost to his own health. Before he made the dive, though, he received a phone call from Sayuri.

"Brother, you don't have to come in, you know," she said. "Sinon, Leafa, and I can handle this thing, even if it's just the three of us."

"I understand why you feel that way," he said. "But you also already know what my reply is going to be."

"I know," she sighed. "But I had to try anyways. See you at Kini Nui?"

"I'll be there in a moment, yes," he nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "I look forward to fighting beside you again, Sister."

"Me too," she replied quietly. Then the phone call ended.

Michael set down the phone, looked over at the nurse that would be monitoring him and nodded silently. She brought him his helmet, and helped him get it on over the bandages. When it was in place, he laid back tentatively and closed his eyes.

"Link, start!"

* * *

**Kirito: All right! Finally, we're gonna get rescued!**

**Asuna: Wait, does that mean that this segment will get cut when that happens?**

**Mataras: I don't know. Probably not, seeing as people seem to like it so much, but one never knows.**

**Kirito: Well, as long as we're in here somehow, I guess it doesn't really matter, right? I mean, who would you even do the segment with?**

**Mataras: That's the problem- I don't know. I'm open to suggestions, though.**

**Asuna: Oh, don't worry too much about it! I'm sure you'll figure something out.**

**Mataras: Perhaps. Nonetheless, I do belive it is time for me to sign off for now. Until next time, my friends.**

**Kirito/Asuna: Bye, everyone!**


	26. Unity

**A/N: All right, let's get to it already! Time to tackle the Mangai Volcano!**

**If anyone can tell me what the next two chapters will be named, there will be a prize... ;)**

* * *

Unity

Mataras awoke in the world of Element Six Online at the large village at the base of the Mangai Volcano. He was in the registration area for the tournament, his armor donned and weapons equipped. He looked around, but failed to see any of the others near him, so he said in a semi-quiet voice, "Litrosh? Are you there?"

A small flash of light flashed in front of him, and there stood the Av-Matoran. "Greetings, champion," he grinned. "I take it that we are about to embark on the quest to the bottom of the Mangai today?"

"Aye," Mataras nodded, opening his menu. Sure enough, there were two gold masks attached to a message of congratulations from the system's GM's. One was a Hau, and the other was a Pakari, both of them in the Mata style. "Do you know where the others might be?" He closed his menu.

"I do not," Litrosh said with a shake of his head as he moved behind his friend and attached him to his armored back. "But I can direct you to the quest's beginning site."

"Please do so," Mataras said as he began walking out the door. "I'm sure that they will meet us there." Litrosh nodded and gave him directions to the right area.

They were both surprised when they arrived at the temple to see that a crowd had gathered. "What is this?" he muttered as he walked on the sacred grounds. "Why are these people here?"

"Mataras!" Sachi's voice called out from the head of the crowd. "Over here!" He couldn't see her, so he activated his jets, startling some of the nearby players as he took to the air. He spotted his sister's armored form standing next to Leafa and Sinon, who were also equipped and ready to fight.

"What is going on here?" he asked as soon as he landed.

"All these people want to get in on the quest," Sinon said, exasperated. "We told them that we'd start taking applicants as soon as you got here."

"Wonderful," he muttered. "Well, I don't care for any of their help. They can all go away now."

"None of us, eh?" a deep voice rumbled. To Mataras' surprise, Dragon Song shouldered his way forward, several players making way for him out of fear and respect. "So you would object to my assistance, then?"

"Not at all," Mataras grinned. "Though I will admit that I am surprised you want to get in on this- especially after I thrashed you in the tournament."

"You would not have won so easily without her help," Dragon rumbled as he pointed at Sinon. "And don't you forget it. I am here because I want to see the true extent of your power. I want to know exactly what to expect next time I face you in combat."

"I accept those conditions," Mataras said with a respectful bow, though he kept his eyes trained on his rival the whole while. Turning to Sinon, he said, "We can add him to the list."

"Also, a companion of mine wishes to join you as well," Dragon added. "You fought him in the tournament. He is skilled with a blade, if you recall, despite his inferiority to your power."

"Hey!" A green Toa protested. With some surprise, Mataras recognized him as Walter, the Toa that he had traded blows with directly after running into Death Kanoka for the first time. "There's no need for ugly-talk! I'm not so mind-lost that can't recognize an insult!"

"Hmm…" Mataras thought back. Of the five contestants, he had lasted the longest against his blade in full combat, other than Eugene. Sinon didn't count, as he had not intended on destroying her like he had the others. "Very well, sign him up as well," he nodded at Sachi and Sinon. They immediately sent him a party request, which he accepted.

"Who else is coming?" he asked as the crowd began to call out, each one asking to be brought along. "Dragon, make them shut up, if you would," he added as he frowned at the crowd.

"Gladly," he growled. Whipping out his scythe with great speed and skill, he roared, "_Be silent and still! NOW_!" Nobody thought to question him. "Much better," he smirked.

"Right," Leafa said, eyeing the big Toa uneasily. "As I was about to say, Recon and Kurogenei will be here in a minute. I told them that they didn't have to, but they both said that they wanted a chance to fight alongside you, and go on the unique quest."

"All right," he nodded. "That should be all. Now, where do we-"

"Wait!" a voice called out. It was followed shortly by four Toa that leaped over and landed in front of the crowd, behind Dragon. The Toa of Stone went to slash them in half, but Mataras held up a hand to stop him.

"Hold," he said sharply. To the new Toa, he said, "Who are you? I do not recognize you from the tournament."

"Litrosh," the leader, a Toa of fire said as he pointed at Mataras' Av-Matoran. "That's your familiar's name, right?"

"What of it?" Mataras asked, slightly confused.

"I knew I'd heard that name before!" Another one, a green-and-silver Toa Inika of Air grinned. "I totally called it!"

"_What_ are you going on about?" Mataras snapped, his sword coming off of his back. "I am low on patience, and on time, so either make your point, or I'll point at you." He lifted his sword into attack position to punctuate his words.

However, instead of being frightened, or even startled, the four of them seemed genuinely amused. "As agro as ever," a blue Toa of Water chuckled. His voice was male, which was rare for water Toa. "C'mon man, you don't recognize us?"

"Your voices…" Mataras said, his sword lowering, and his voice going down a few notches. "You know Litrosh's name from somewhere… Wait a moment…" His eyes widened as he looked back at the red Toa. "Erak?"

"That's Toa Epsilon to you," he winked in response. "Good to see you again, Mataras." He made sure not to use his old friend's real name, even though Mataras had used his by accident. "I hope you remember Theta, Hera, and Delta." He gestured to the other three Toa, who grinned at him in return to his dumbstruck expression.

"Mataras, who are these guys?" Sinon asked as she moved to stand beside him.

"They are… my friends," he grinned, relief suddenly sweeping over him. He looked at the one calling himself Theta, the Toa of Water. _Tybalt._ The Toa of Air, Delta, was now easily recognizable as Daniel. Lastly was a grey-and-white Toa of Ice, Hera. Though Michael knew her better as Hannah.

"You all came here…?" he said aloud.

"Are these your friends from the orphanage?" Sachi asked as stepped up to his other side, Yui observing curiously from her back.

"Aye," he nodded.

"Still using that same old vocab, huh?" Hera chuckled. "You read too much."

"Says you," Mataras shot back.

"Hey, Kettle and Pot?" Epsilon said. "Can we get back to the original topic at hand?"

"Of course, your highness," Mataras said mockingly. "What was the point of origin?"

"We wanna help you out," Delta said. "We want to join you on the quest."

"Do you have a specific reason?" Mataras asked.

"Well, for starters, it'll give us a bit of a chance to catch up," Theta said. "And you're our friend, man. We don't really need any other reason than that."

"Good answer," Mataras nodded. "Talk to Leafa back there, and she'll add you to the list. Oh, is anyone else coming along?"

"Nah, it's just us," Delta answered. "We'll fill you in on the way into the volcano."

"Very well," he nodded. "Dragon, Walter? Make them all go away, if you would."

"Finally, enough with the slow-talk," Walter muttered. "Okay, you all heard him! Time to quick-run, all of you!"

"What are you, his bodyguard?!" a voice shouted. "We all wanna go! You can't seriously think that you can take the quest with just a dozen of you! Let us thro-!" An audible crash echoed through the afternoon air as Dragon sent the player skidding through the crowd with boulder to the face.

"Does anyone else have an objection?" he glowered at them. No one said a thing, instead choosing to leave- very promptly. "I hate crowds," Dragon muttered as he turned to see Sinon and Sachi sending Mataras the golden masks.

"Well then," Mataras said as he closed his menu. "Shall we dance?"

"_Yeah_!" The others shouted, raising their weapons high.

* * *

As soon as Recon and Kurogenei arrived, the party walked up the steps to the Kini Nui Temple, where a shrine lay in the center. As they walked, Mataras evaluated his new team members. Walter and Dragon he was already familiar with, but not his friends from childhood.

Epsilon had a Pakari Nuva equipped along with a massive broadsword. His equipment was from Bara Magna, or Bara Nui as it was sometimes called. His brother was from the same area, armed with a crossbow identical to Sinon's and a mask of x-ray vision. Hera was armed with a rapier and a thornax launcher, both one-handed weapons. Her mask was a Kadin, a mask of flight. Lastly was Delta, a Toa originating from Voya Nui like Sinon, armed with a Karda Nui sky blade, a midak sky blaster, and a mask of telepathy, which enabled him detect any enemies within a kio radius, even if they were invisible.

Of Leafa's friends, Kurogenei appeared to be more capable, armed with a long katana, armor from Metru Nui, and a Kanohi Mohtrek- a mask of duplication. It was a very rare mask, though not as rare as the Olmak, and it allowed the user to create a clone of themselves, though the difference was that the clone could not use elemental or mask powers, though it possessed the same stats as the creator.

Recon was armed with a long dagger and a mask of speed, so he could his very fast indeed, but his blows would be light. Still, he had volunteered to draw the bosses out since he had the best chances of dodging the first strike. While he may have been a bit of a creep when it came to Leafa, he was a hardcore gamer, so Mataras knew that he would pull his own weight, despite his inferior equipment.

Just as he had finished profiling them, they reached the center of the temple. A dome sat in the middle of the dark room, surrounded by six pillars. In each pillar was a slot for a mask- the golden masks, Mataras knew.

"So it begins," he murmured as he accessed his menu. He passed out the masks to different people, and set the golden Hau mask in one of the pillars himself. When all six were in place, beam of light shot up from the dome, and a golden Toa materialized with it.

"Greetings, Toa of all races," it said. "I, Takanuva, ask for your aid in these troubling times. The Makuta has stolen the Mask of Light, and now he guards it most jealously. I am now trapped within a prison of his making, where without my mask, I am powerless. Even now, I feel my life begin to fade, and I do not know if you are viewing this while I still live.

"If you do manage to defeat the Makuta and his guardians, please return my mask to me. If, however, my time has come, I ask that you find a new bearer for my Kanohi, There must always be a wielder of light, lest the Makuta reign without opposition once again. Go now, and may the blessings of Mata Nui be upon you."

The temple shook, and the light faded as the dome cracked and fell apart to reveal a stairwell leading deep into the ground. "Well," Mataras said. "That was grim." Then he used his sword as a torch to light the way down into the passage. "Come along, then. Let us see what 'the Makuta' has in store for us."

* * *

The journey down actually took a surprisingly long time. Mataras spent much of that time catching up with his old friends, much to the disappointment of Sinon, though she denied anything being wrong when Sachi asked her if she was alright. Even still, Sachi was happy that her brother seemed so relaxed, more so than he had been in months.

Dragon and Walter talked quietly to each other, mostly concerning possible battle strategies for whatever awaited them down below. Leafa also spoke with Kurogenei in lowered tones while Recon talked with Yui and Litrosh, fascinated that the AI constructs almost seemed like real people.

When they finally reached the bottom, a massive set of doors loomed before them. "A word of warning, before we go on," Mataras said as he stood in front of the gateway. He turned around to face the assembled Toa. "There are real lives at stake here. This mission must be cleared today, or else hundreds will go on suffering. I cannot go into all the details right now, but if you so wish, you may turn back. I will understand if you do not want participate in this venture, knowing full well that lives are on the line." Then he waited for their responses.

"Well, I dunno just how badly you screwed up, but we're with you, man," Epsilon grinned. "You owe an explanation afterwards, though." His siblings added their agreements, as did Delta.

"I have every confidence that we will accomplish our goal," Dragon rumbled, his voice echoing in the darkness. "I am with you, high stakes or no. It will be interesting to see just how hard you fight when you must gamble so desperately."

"Yes," Walter nodded. "Dragon here ever-loves the sound of crash-bang. And I like watching him fight so ever-hard. I am also with you." Mataras raised an eyebrow at the jocular Toa, but said nothing.

"I'm doing this for Kazuto's sake," Leafa said firmly. "I'm with you all the way."

"If she goes, then so do I!" Recon grinned.

"Hey that's my line," Kurogenei said as he brought his fist down on Recon's head, causing the smaller Toa to whine in pain.

"You know that I'll always stand by you, Brother," Sachi smiled.

"As will I," Litrosh said as he re-attached himself to Mataras.

"I wanna see Mommy and Daddy again, so I'll help as much as I can, too!" Yui declared, causing every to laugh, or in Mataras and Dragon's case, smile a bit.

"You promised to protect me for the rest of my life," Sinon said with a wink. "How are you supposed to do that without keeping me close to you?" Mataras' friends sniggered at him as he smiled at the Toa of Ice.

"Thank you, Sinon," he said as he clanked fists with her. Then he turned to see that the others all had their weapons ready, and their elemental powers primed for combat. "Very well," Mataras nodded as he turned to face the doors and placed his palms on them. "Let us go forth with our comrades in mind." The last part was mostly to himself, but Yui, Litrosh, and Sachi all heard him.

* * *

The room they were in was shrouded in dark fog, with green pillars lining the chamber in two neat rows. They looked as though stone snakes were coiled around their lengths, adding an ominous feeling to the already-disturbing green light that shone from within them. The only other source of light was a pool of silvery liquid from which the source of illumination could not be seen. At the end of it the chamber, a gate resembling an older Kanohi Hau was imbedded in the wall.

"Are you getting anything yet, Delta?" Mataras asked, hoping that his friend's mask of telepathy would pick up on any lurking monsters.

"No, not yet," he said with a shake of his head. "My guess is that we have to proceed to a certain point in the room before we trigger the boss fight." Mataras nodded his agreement, and they proceeded slowly to the pool of silver liquid, all senses on high alert.

As they drew closer, Mataras noticed that the liquid was not contained in a single pool, but several. Two of them formed strange semi-ovals that partially enclosed three circles of liquid. Two of them were about three yards across while the one in the very middle of it was easily seven yards in diameter. "What is this?" Mataras said as he looked closer at the symbol.

"It's the symbol of the Great Spirit's virtues," Leafa answered as he knelt by the pool. "It stands for Unity, Duty, and Destiny. It- hey!" she grabbed his hand back as he reached out to touch the liquid. "That's energized protodermis in there! Touch that, and it'll dissolve your entire body, even if you just touch a tiny bit of it!"

"Oh?" Mataras said as he pointed at something floating in the pool. "Then tell me what that is." Leafa stared at the object of his interest, a silver card of some kind.

"What…? Hey, does anyone have a mask of telekinesis on them?" she asked.

"I do," Hera said. "Switch with me." She and Leafa swapped spots, so that the Ice Toa could use her mask to safely extract the item. "Here," she said as she levitated it to Mataras' hands. "Any idea of what that is?"

"No…" he muttered. "Litrosh? Do you know what this does?"

"Allow me to examine it," the red matoran said as Mataras passed it back to him. "Wait, what?! This is a system administrator's card! What is this doing here?"

"What?!" Mataras said as he took the card back. "Can we use this to log out Kirito and Asuna, if they're nearby?"

"No," Litrosh said. "But now that you mention it…" He gasped suddenly, and Yui let out a shriek of surprise, startling everyone present.

"What was that in aid of?" Dragon asked, annoyed that he had been caught off-guard.

"Mommy and Daddy's player ID's!" Yui cried. "They're here! Down below us!"

"What?!" Mataras said, his gaze snapping back to the pool. "Down there, are they?"

"Oh no, you don't," Sinon said as she held him back. "Leafa was right. Jump in there, and you're a dead man. Then our chances of making it through this become nil."

"Ach," he growled. "But they're down there! I have to get to them!" He raised his sword, startling the others, and aimed it at the pool. "_I will not give up now_!" Fire roared from his sword, striking the pool, but producing a very different result than he had expected. Instead of dissolving, the pool seemed to absorb his fire. "What?!"

"Seriously, have you not been paying attention?!" Leafa scolded him. "That stuff isn't just water you can blast away! It's supposed to have mythical properties, one being that elemental powers don't affect it!"

"You failed to mention that earlier," Mataras growled. "Fine. We'll do this the original way, then." And he put the card in his inventory as he growled, "I need something to hit- now."

"You'll get it pretty soon, I think," Delta muttered. "I'm picking up on six non-friendlies with some pretty high stats." As if in response to his assessment, the doors that they had entered through swing shut with a loud _boom_.

"Aw, crap," Epsilon muttered, raising his sword into his ready position. "That's never a good sign, ever."

"No, really?" Mataras muttered. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Go jump in a volcano," Epsilon shot back as six doors opened up around the room, three on each side.

"We're already in part of a volcano."

"Shut up, Theta!"

"Are they always like this?" Sinon asked as she took aim down one of the doorways.

"Most of the time," Mataras admitted.

"Uh oh," Litrosh suddenly interjected.

"What is it?" Mataras asked over his shoulder.

"These mobs are no ordinary monsters," Litrosh replied. "In fact, they aren't monsters at all. They're dark Toa."

"What?!" Sachi gasped. "As in players?"

"No, but they are armed as if they were," Yui replied. "Also, their algorithms are much more advanced than any Rahi in this game. They can learn to fight us better the longer we fight them. Which means…"

"We hit fast, and we hit hard," Sinon said as she fired the first shot into one of the doorways, and scoring a hit on a black figure just before it could step into the room.

"Let the contest begin," Mataras chuckled darkly. _Nuboyuki, when I get out of here, there will be hell to pay. _Flames blazed across his sword, and he took off on his jets to aim fire blasts at the oncoming mini-bosses. "Litrosh, let loose at anything that comes our way."

"Like this?" Litrosh asked as he shot the dark Toa of Air out of the sky with the cordak blaster. "Does that work?"

"Quite nicely, yes," Mataras grinned. "But let's not get cocky. We still have a long way to go before we defeat these things."

* * *

Two hours later, the team was halfway down on their health points, and only the dark Toa of Air had been defeated. From what Litrosh and Yui were able to tell, these dark warriors were Makuta's attempt at recreating the To Mata, some of the most powerful Toa in all of existence. "We won't be in any shape to take on the final boss at this rate," Dragon growled, his breathing labored.

"Agreed," Mataras muttered. "Do you have any ideas on how to beat these things?"

"We need a moment to think," Sinon said as she shot the water Toa in the chest. "Can we get an energy dome up yet?" In response, Mataras, Kurogenei, Dragon, and Epsilon's masks all glowed, and a shield made of red, brown, and green energy was erected immediately.

"Even with four of you, this won't last long," Recon cautioned.

"We know," Theta muttered as he eyed the dark Toa, which were pounding in the shield with both weapons and their elemental powers. "Got any bright ideas, vine-slinger?"

"Well…" he looked over at Leafa suddenly, causing her to eye with suspicion. "Leafa, tell me," he said firmly. "Is this just a game right now?"

"No, it's not," she said with a shake of her head. "Like Mataras said, real lives are at stake here, Kazuto being one of them."

Recon nodded firmly, once. "All right then," he said as he activated his mask of speed. "Then I'm gonna make sure you guys through to the final boss!" And he sped out of the shield, much to the surprise of everyone present.

"Where does he think he's going?" Walter asked in confusion. "He can't leave the boss room!" But the others simply waited and watched. Leafa moved as close to the edge of the shield as she could, watching as the dark Toa all moved to engage Recon as he sped up to the gate that they had come from.

Sinon activated her Akaku Nuva and shared its powers with the others so that they could see what was happening down the chamber as though it were not even five feet away from them. Recon grinned at all of them before slamming his fists together, and letting a green glow emanate from his entire body.

"What kind of technique is that?" Mataras wondered aloud.

"Oh dear," Yui gasped. "Uncle, everyone! Whatever you do, don't drop your shields!"

"Why not?" Sachi asked. The next instant, a wind blast erupted from where Recon stood. One so powerful, it destroyed some of the columns and nearly broke the shield generated by four nuva masks of power. When it was over, the dark Toa were all gone, and the team had received various drop items.

"Hey Recon," Mataras called out as the shield dropped. "Perhaps you could lead with that move next time, eh? Er… Recon?" He realized that he couldn't see the small Toa anywhere. The only thing that remained in the dark fog was a green heartstone. "What in the world…?"

"Recon, you idiot!" Leafa cried out. "Why would you do something that stupid?!"

"What did he do?" Sachi asked as she looked in awe at the destruction around her. "He defeated them all by himself, how?"

"That was what we call a 'Nova Blast' here in ESO," Epsilon answered. "It's basically the most powerful move any Toa can use, but there's a catch to using it."

"All of your stats get reset, and any items you didn't lock in a chest or something are destroyed," Delta elaborated. "Basically, you start from scratch after you pull that off. Honestly, a lot of gamers consider it a taboo because it takes so long to build your skill levels up."

"Ouch," Mataras grimaced. "Well… I suppose we should make sure that his sacrifice does not go to waste. Sachi, see if you can repair our armor with the Kiril, please. Delta, be sure to let us know when the next boss is approaching. Everyone, make sure to eat up and restore your health as fast as possible."

"Uh, Mataras?" Delta said tightly. "He's already coming."

"_Eh_?" The assembled Toa whirled around to see the other gate open up, and admit a new figure, one that made even Mataras blink in surprise. The final boss was easily twice the size of even Dragon, the largest of the group. He was covered in dark armor that was pitted with rust and rot, but he looked no less powerful for it. From his dark mask, two demonic red eyes glared at all of them.

"Uh… I thought that the mask of shadow was in Marhi Nui?" Yui said in a very small voice. "But this boss… There's no mistaking it- he's wearing the Kanohi Kraahkan!"

"Aw, crap," Theta muttered as he readied his weapon. "We're so dead."

"_Not yet_," Mataras growled deep in his throat. His mask glowed ominously as he said, "Keep him off of me for half a minute. I have a plan."

"Run while you still can, little Toa," Makuta rumbled, his voice deeper and more guttural than even Dragon's. He pointed at the entrance with his clawed hand and the doors swung open. "The mask of light is not going anywhere."

"Litrosh, what is going on?" Mataras asked in a lowered voice. "The last time this quest was attempted, the Mauta killed Eugene so fast that he had no idea of what hit him."

"It's most likely that the system and the quest were updated since then," Litrosh answered. "Though there is one thing that worries me."

"What is it?" I cannot see his health bar." Mataras felt his blood freeze as he contemplated what that meant.

"Litrosh," he asked as the others got into position to attack. "Is Makuta an immortal object?" He waited for the answer, hoping that he was wrong.

"No," Litrosh said. "But one thing is now clear to me- this whole quest was never meant to be defeated."

"How do you figure that?" Mataras asked, the chill back in his spine after a brief respite.

"The door he came through is locked by the system administrator," Litrosh answered grimly. "Which means that no matter what, even if by some miracle we manage to defeat the boss, nothing we do will open that door."

Mataras' eyes burned silver as the words sunk in. _So even now, at the footsteps to their dungeon, we cannot get in_, he thought, both furious and on the verge of tears. _Is there truly no way for this to end? Is there no key that will permit us to-_ He froze in mid-thought.

"Mataras?" Litrosh asked as Makuta raised a massive staff and his eyes flared brighter than before. "What are you thinking of?"

"Our victory," he grinned, eyes bright and teeth bared like that of a dragon on the hunt. "But first we have to take care of _that_ little pest." His mask glowed brighter as Sinon looked at him incredulously.

"Little?" she repeated. "Are we looking at the same boss? He's huge!"

"Not after I cut him down to size," he replied, his smile becoming wider and slightly more insane. Sinon was now curious. What was he planning? "When I give the signal, hit him with anything and everything," Mataras commanded, his voice echoing throughout the chamber.

"Brother?" Sachi asked, turning to look at him.

"Focus on him!" Mataras shouted, though not harshly. "I don't know that I can do this more than once, so do as I say!" Nobody questioned him again, even as Makuta advanced.

"All right, dodge his first round of attacks, and then retaliate!" Mataras shouted as he used his equipment to fly. "Listen to Yui and Litrosh!" Then bursts of shadow were flung at each of them, and they were fighting for their lives.

* * *

_Fire is what I once was_, I thought as I held my sword in a ready position. _How I wish that I could lash out with reckless abandon, destroying everything that I touch, and never worrying if there will not be something that I cannot consume._

The others dodged the shadows as best they could, but there some inevitable hits. Only Dragon refused to give ground, instead using his massive scythe to counter the darkness. _Flames burn those that try to get too close, and kill those that do not learn quickly to evade its bite. However…_

My eyes flicked over to look at my sister, who was using her elemental powers to block the dark energy. _Water calms and soothes those burned by the inferno. It quenches the eternal thirst brought on by the sun, and gives life to those that accept it. She is the soothing presence in my life, washing away the hurt from the fires of my past._

My head throbbed painfully, as it had been from the very beginning. I could still feel the pain of my wounds from my battle with the second Death Kanoka, even though I did not let the others see. I couldn't allow them to see my weakness. I had to be strong, even if only for a little longer. For them- for the one's that had been strong this whole while, without Sachi and I beside them to suffer through the long months of isolation.

I looked up at the armored demon, nearly ready to unleash the power granted me by this world. _They also know the loss of family all too well… Never again._ My mask flashed with power and I roared, "_NOW_! Strike him down!" My head felt as though it would split open from within, but I pressed on. _Today we take back that which belongs to us._

The others wasted no time in unleashing their elemental powers, forcing the Makuta to stagger back- right into the massive portal I had conjured. He roared in anger as he slid back into the vortex. But with a mighty heave, he managed to right himself, taking one step back out of the portal as he shouted, "My brother shall not be awakened!"

"Shut up," I snapped as I willed the portal to close- with Makuta halfway in and out of it. The master of darkness screamed as the dimensional boundaries converged on him, effectively slicing his armored form in half like it was hot butter. From his armor, a black-green mist billowed out and spread out over the other Toa, who back away in fear of the gas.

"Epsilon!" I shouted as I raised my blade. Fire billowed from my sword, quickly followed by his own elemental power. The Toa of air all caught on quickly and acted in a way that not even I had thought of, using the power of the winds to bring the mist in together, so that Epsilon and I could more easily incinerate it.

_Hold on just a little longer, Kirito, Asuna_, I thought as the last of the Makuta's gas disappeared. _Sachi and I will be there soon._

* * *

As soon as the last of the menacing gas was gone, Mataras staggered and nearly fell over, mentally exhausted. Sachi and Sinon both managed to snatch him up before he fell into the energized protodermis, and he mumbled his thanks.

"Litrosh…" he murmured. "The card. Use it to open the gate."

"The card? What-? Oh." The matoran detached himself from Mataras' back and accessed their shared inventory, and pulling out the card. It immediately glowed, and silver lines flowed into his armored body. "I'm downloading the code into my program for reuse," he explained as Mataras straightened himself.

"Smart," he nodded.

"Are you okay, Mataras?" Sinon asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," he nodded. "I just need some rest when this all over."

"Um, Mataras?" Delta asked. He sounded afraid to the others. "We have a problem- a lot of problems."

"What now?" the Toa of Fire muttered.

"We've got a horde of mobs coming at us- not dark Toa, but definitely dangerous stuff." Delta looked at each of the doors where the dark Toa had come out of. "It looks like we're not done yet."

"How many?" Sachi asked as she readied her weapon.

"Move to the door," Mataras commanded shortly. "Litrosh is going to get us through to the other side. It doesn't matter how many there are."

"Mataras, opening the gate will take a moment- it will not be instantaneous," Litrosh said as he jetted towards the doorway. "We will need to hold off whatever is coming for at least a half-minute."

"Oh, happy-cheer," Walter groaned. "Sorry-oops for thinking that we were out of the water-yuck by now."

"You have a problem with water?" Theta asked over his shoulder.

"That's just tree-speak for an ugly situation," Delta said while rolling his eyes. "He doesn't mean anything personal by it."

"All right, I'm opening the gate!" Litrosh said as he placed his palms on the massive stone structure. "Be ready to come through!"

Mataras was about to respond, but he was interrupted by a terrible screeching sound. "What on earth was that?" he asked as he looked at the doors again.

"Mata Nui preserve us," Delta gasped.

"Are those what I think they are?" Hera grimaced.

"Yep…" Delta grimaced heavily. "Rahkshi. Tones of 'em."

"Rahkshi?" Sachi asked.

"Picture a green-purple slug in a body with a long head, spines, longer arms and legs, a short torso, always armed with a staff, ridiculously powerful, and extremely territorial," Sinon muttered sourly. "And now there's an army of those things coming our way? Crap."

"How powerful are we talking?" Mataras asked as the door began to slowly slide upwards. He prayed that Litrosh would be in time to save them all.

"You don't hunt one of those things without at least three Toa in your party at full health if you all want to make it out alive," Epsilon answered. "Mataras, buddy, you take us to the nicest places."

"Eh, I try my best," he grinned.

"That's sad," Hera sighed.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Their exchange was cut off as more hisses and screeching came out of the doors. Mataras' thoughts races as he tried to decide what to do in the meantime.

Then he had an idea. "Dragon, can your power collapse those tunnels?" he asked hopefully.

"No," Dragon said with a shake of his head. "They are designated as immortal objects. Therefore, I have no power over them."

"Then how were we able to break those pillars earlier?" Leafa asked as she gestured at the columns destroyed by Recon's Nova Blast.

"The ceiling is not an immortal object," Yui answered. "If all of the pillars were to be destroyed, the ceiling would come down, instantly destroying everything under it."

"Is that so…?" Sachi murmured quietly. Then she mentally triggered the eject function for Yui. "In that case, tell Kirito and Asuna that I said hi." Then she drew her blade and rushed out into the room, even as Rahkshi poured into the room like a massive locust swarm.

"Aunt Sachi!" Yui cried out as the Toa of Water unleashed her power at some of the remaining pillars.

"Sister!" Mataras shouted, about to run after her, only to be shoved back by Sinon. "Why…?"

"Don't let her sacrifice be for nothing!" Sinon shouted to be heard above the noise. "I don't know exactly what's going on, but I know that if we don't hold these things off, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

"We?" he repeated.

"Yup," she grinned as she readied her crossbow. "Right, guys?"

"Well, it's not like we have a choice now," Walter muttered. With that, he charged into the fray, followed closely by Dragon, who said nothing as they headed for a pillar together.

"Hey, wait up!" Leafa shouted as she took off, Kurogenei not far behind her. The four of them were soon swallowed by the horde, though the pillar that Sachi had selected suddenly went down, so it was safe to assume that they were still fighting out there somewhere.

The triplets and Delta all winked at Mataras before they took off. Words weren't necessary- they would see each other again soon for a proper reunion. _Thank you._

"Mataras!" Litrosh shouted. "If it is to be us three, then we should go now!" The Red Swordsman nodded sharply as he looked back at the gate which was finally open.

"Come, Yui," he said. "They will be fine."

"Okay…" she said, crestfallen. She knew that they would simply respawn, but it still hurt to watch them die in any manner, especially after living through SAO.

"Come on," Mataras urged as he took her hand and led her into the golden light. "Let us go find your parents." _Let us rejoin our family._

* * *

**Kirito: Wait, what was that one part that happened a segment ago?!**

**Asuna: Were we...**

**Mataras: Yup. That was inside my head. That was my first publicized piece of first-person literature, and I hope that I did a good job with it.**

**Kirito: That was... unexpected.**

**Asuna: Here's something else unexpected- why did you change the name of the story?**

**Mataras: As I mentioned before, there will be a spin-off of this story, also called The Red Swordsman, but with a different suffix. It's going to be another crossover called The Red Slayer.**

**Kirito: Well, what's the crossover?**

**Mataras: Well, it looks like we are out of time! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and we'll see you next time!**

**Asuna: Is he kidding?! Another cliff-**


	27. Duty

**A/N: Sorry about the delay, guys! I actually had this all ready to go yesterday, but the website kept telling me that the server was down...**

**In any case, on to the first of two parts that many of us (including myself) have been looking forward to- the part where Sugou gets his, Red and Black Swordsmen style!**

* * *

Duty

Mataras looked around in confusion. What he saw was in such contrast with the battle scene he had just left behind that it took his battle-oriented brain several seconds to comprehend what was going on.

He was in a white hallway that extended in two different directions, looking like something out of a bad sci-fi movie where the government performed its experiments on people or aliens that they had captured. "What is this place?" he wondered aloud. "I doesn't even look like it belongs on Mata Nui."

"I told you, this place was not meant to be accessed by players," Litrosh reminded him.

"Then… the whole quest… was a lie," Mataras said, his words hardening. "Sugou really needs to watch his back around me- otherwise, I'll be liable to break it."

"Uncle…" Yui said in a soft voice as she grabbed his hand and looked up at him pleadingly.

"I know," he nodded as he forced himself to calm down. "We will focus on rescuing Kirito and Asuna first. _Then_ I will deal with Sugou. Litrosh, tell us where to go."

"Aye," he nodded as he detached himself from his friend and jetted down the left passageway. "This way! We should hurry to minimize chances of detection!" Mataras and Yui were not far behind him, using their own jets to zip through the hallways.

_Just a little longer_, Mataras thought firmly. _I will be there, soon._

* * *

Litrosh led them to an area where the hallways suddenly transitioned back into a setting more like the tunnels of Onu-Koro. "Is this the only place like this in here?" Mataras asked.

"Unclear," Litrosh answered distractedly. "I'm navigating based on Kirito and Asuna's player ID locations, not the map data. As a matter of fact, there is no map data of this place whatsoever."

"Why would a place like this exist in-game?" Yui wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Mataras muttered. He was about to add more, but Litrosh suddenly came to an abrupt halt. "Litrosh? What seems to be the problem?" In response, the red Av-Matoran pointed at the end of the hallway.

There, at the end of the dark tunnel, were two cells that faced each other. And in the cages, were to young people, one boy, the other a girl, both looking at the other in obvious distress. The boy was dressed in simple black clothing, while the girl could barely be qualified as dressed, wearing a two-piece dress that left little to the imagination.

Mataras took off at a run, Litrosh right in front of him, and Yui behind, all three of them shedding their armor as they ran, though Mataras kept his sword on him.

The other day, Mataras had reverted his appearance back to his original look from Aincrad in time for the tournament. He had told Sachi that if he was going in to fight as the Red Swordsman against Laughing Coffin, he might as well feel the part. Now it seemed that his decision would also aid his friends in recognizing him- he hoped.

Litrosh dashed in front of Kirito's prison first, smashing his fist into the metal door and shattering it with a burst of code. The Black Swordsman scrambled backwards in shock with wide eyes as Litrosh moved to do the same with Asuna's cell. "What the-?"

"It is good to see you, brother," Mataras said with a smile as he walked in and held a hand out to Kirito, whose eyes looked as though they might pop out of their socket.

"M-Ma…" He couldn't get his tongue to work right, it seemed.

"You thought that I was pushing daisies, eh?" Mataras chuckled as he helped Kirito to his feet. "I told you that I would protect your family as long as I possibly could- and I don't break promises forged in brotherhood."

"Mataras!" Kirito laughed, finally able to speak. "Man, I'm glad to see you!" And he roughly embraced his brother-in-arms. "Where's Sachi?! Is she okay?"

"Aye, she is well," Mataras nodded. "I will explain later, but-"

"Mataras!" Asuna squealed as she hugged the Red Swordsman from behind. "You're alive! And you came for us!"

"Did you expect anything less?" Litrosh chuckled.

"Mataras, who is that?" Kirito asked. Before his friend could answer, Yui jumped into her father's arms, sobbing happily. A little bewildered at first, Kirito wrapped his arms around the little girl, then tightened his grip as he realized who he was holding again. "Yui…"

"'Daddy…" she cried. Mataras moved so that Asuna could join them and make it a group hug. A family embrace. Looking on, Mataras could not help but smile at them.

However, this did not stop him from turning to Litrosh and asking, "Can you log them out from here?"

"Not without a GM console," Litrosh answered in an undertone. "We should try to find one before- urk!" He suddenly double over, dark sparks spraying from his body.

"Litrosh!" Mataras cried as he grabbed his AI familiar by the shoulders. "What is happening to you?!" In the background, he was vaguely aware of the same thing happening to Yui, even as her parents desperately tried to comprehend what was happening around them.

"Something… evil… is coming," the former dragon growled. "Ready… your fire." Then he disappeared in a burst of dark sparks, even as the cavern around them was flooded with a blinding light.

"Well, well…" a familiar, sinister voice said from the way that they had come. "Would you look at this? I'll admit, the last thing I had expected to see was an ant trying to crawl into my little bird's cage."

"Sugou," Mataras said flatly as he readied his sword, despite his lack of armor. "Why am I not surprised to see you here?"

"You shouldn't be," Sugou sneered as he came closer, the light nearly blinding now. Amidst the glow, however, Mataras was able to see that Sugou was adorned with fine golden armor, wearing a shining mask with many sharp angles on its surface. "This is my world, after all." Before Mataras could attack, a laser blast struck him to the floor, sending his sword skidding away.

"You bastard!" Kirito shouted, making to dash at Sugou armed with only his fists. "Get away from them!" Sugou responded by swinging an armored fist that pulverized Kirito and slammed him into a wall.

"Now, now," he said as he wagged his finger and shook his head condescendingly. "You know you're not supposed to do anything other than what your master tells you, isn't that right little crow?" He stopped Asuna from coming any closer by pointing a scythe at Kirito's head and giving her an amused look.

"Screw you," Kirito spat.

"What a foul mouth," Sugou growled. He slammed the flat of the scythe into Kirito's head, knocking him out cold. "I'll have to fix that. But first…" He turned to Mataras, who was struggling to get to his feet. "How did you get up here? I saw some strange programs running- was that it?"

"If you actually expect me to tell you, even by employing torture, you have another thing coming," Mataras growled heavily. As he tried to rise by using the wall for support, Sugou snorted derisively and kicked him in the stomach, rendering him prostrate once again.

"Idiot," he smirked as he watched him writhe. "I don't need to use torture to get what I want from you. I'll just ask your brain directly."

"Eh?"

"Oh come on," Sugou smiled as he extended his hand and summoned Mataras' sword to his hand. "You don't actually I built this whole thing for kicks, do you? I've got three hundred SAO players under my thumb! And thanks to their dedicated cooperation, the research I've been doing is eighty-three percent complete!

"Soon I'll be able to manipulate human emotions and memories at the flip of a switch! I'm about to achieve what no other human ever has: the total manipulation of the human soul! The power of a god!" He began to cackle, drunk with his own power.

"You dare… to try and play… the part of God?" Mataras snarled, rising to his feet. This only earned him another kick to the stomach, which floored him. Then he was stabbed through with his own sword, which pinned him to the floor, much to his fury.

"You said earlier that even if I tortured you, it would get me nothing," Sugou giggled as he did the same to Kirito with his scythe. Even in his unconscious state, the boy in black let out a grunt of pain. "I think I'm going to test that." He advanced on Asuna, chains of light forming in his hands.

She tried to bolt, but he grabbed her with an iron grip and fastened the chains to her wrists, and attached the other ends to the ceiling, forcing her to stand on her tiptoes, and drawing a grimace from her as the hot chains burned into her wrists.

"Yes!" he giggled as he saw the expression. He removed his own armor as he watched her squirm, revealing an artificially beautiful face with golden locks. "You can't get NPC girls to make faces like that!"

"Get… away from her!" Mataras roared. "Mark… my words… _nothing…_ will save your life now… _I will kill you_!" This earned him another strike to the head with a light burst. It appeared that even while his armor was removed, Sugou's powers of light worked. The thought of such a man using divine powers filled Mataras with revulsion.

"You better shut up now," Sugou giggled. "The audience isn't supposed to be part of the show- but in this case I think I'll make an exception!" He looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "System command: set pain absorber from level ten to level seven!" Suddenly, Mataras could feel pain- real pain- stab into his back, but he refused to cry out, only glaring at Sugou even harder.

Sugou noticed and giggled even louder than before. "I'll increase the pain gradually, so that way you'll have something to look forward to! Oh, and once it hits level three, it'll start affecting your mind in real life, too! Now… I wonder what will happen first. Will you scream? Will Kirigaya wake up to the pain? Will Asuna…" He suddenly whirled as slashed the top half of her outfit off. Mataras averted his eyes as Sugou screamed, "Finally submit to me?!"

Asuna looked helplessly as Mataras sagged and collapsed. Kirito looked no better. Then she set her jaw and shut her eyes as Sugou began to move on from her chest to other areas. As she held her eyes shut, she prayed that one of the two boys would save them all. Black or red, it didn't matter, she just didn't want Kirito to have to wake up to see something so awful.

"Sugou…" Mataras growled inaudibly. "I will… kill you… I…have to… I…" Then he was surrounded by nothing. He couldn't feel anything except for the burning pain of the sword in his back, and he heard nothing of what was going on around him.

* * *

_I… failed…_ he thought as tears slid down his face.

"So what?" a familiar voice echoed from the nothingness. "You've failed before. I haven't seen that stopping you over the past two years."

_That was different,_ he replied blankly. _There, I had a fighting chance. This monster is not interested in fairness or obeying rules like Kayaba. He won't give me a chance to strike him down, ever._

"Then make your own chance," the voice said, a little more sharply this time. "I didn't give up my life just to watch you crumble at the first sign of an insurmountable object, Brother. Now get on your feet, Red Swordsman.

"Fight, Michael!" Mataras' eyes shot open, and as his eyes readjusted to the surrounding darkness, for just a moment, he thought that he could see a small girl standing over him with soft brown eyes and matching hair that fell past her shoulders.

* * *

_Very well_, he thought as he gathered his strength and forced himself to rise, a wordless roar erupting from his throat. Sugou turned around with some surprise to see both Kirito and Mataras getting to their feet, forcing the weapons in their backs up and out of their bodies. "Your attacks…" Mataras grunted.

"You hit weak," Kirito snarled. "The swords in SAO… were way heavier."

"And they struck far harder than anything that you have thrown at us," Mataras taunted as the sword in his back fell to the ground. "You are weak, Sugou." The dark fire of his pent-up fury was burning steadily in his eyes now.

Sugou, however, seemed to think that it was all for show. "Is that so?" he giggled, fist coming back to strike the Red Swordsman in the face. Mataras lashed out with a reverse kick to the face that sent him staggering with a look of utter shock on his face. "How…?"

"System login," Kirito replied in an undertone. "ID: Heathcliff. Password…" Then his voice dropped so that even Mataras could not hear what he said.

"What?!" Sugou gasped. "What ID was that?! Gah, no matter! I'll-"

"System command," Kirito said in that same, quiet voice. "Adjust supervisor privileges- remove all authority from ID 'Takanuva." Sugou gasped as he received a notice affirming the fact that his special authority had been revoked.

"What?!" he screeched. "An ID that outranks mine?! How is that possible?! I'm the creator of this world! I'm the ruler, its god!" As he began to rant incoherently, Mataras and Kirito shared a look that led to Kirito enabling administrator privileges to his friend's account as well.

"Go see to your wife," Mataras said as he handed Kirito his fire sword. "I can handle this next part."

"Oh you're not getting all the fun," Kirito muttered. "I'll be back." Then he dashed past Sugou as Mataras smashed his fist into the crazed man's face.

"You are no god," he growled as he glared at Sugou, who was holding his stomach tightly. "You can't even call yourself a rightful king. You created _nothing_. Everything in this world was stolen, including the people."

"You… You…" Sugou was so furious that he couldn't even form words.

Mataras stared at him flatly for a few more seconds before looking up and shouting, "System command: generate object, Identification Kanohi Kraahkan!" Out of the darkness fell a familiar mask, one that Mataras had seen only moments before while fighting the Makuta.

He caught it out of the air and held it with both hands as he muttered, "A simple command summons a coveted mask of power? It seems too… simple." Looking up at Sugou, he said in a louder voice, "I am going to make you suffer for everything that you have done. To me, to my family, and to the survivors of Aincrad." With another command, he equipped Sugou's armor back on and reequipped his own battle gear.

"Just who do you think you are?!" the golden-armored coward shrieked.

The boy smirked as he looked down at the mask he had summoned and said, "I don't think, I _know_ who I am." He looked Sugou in the eye and said, "I used to be the Red Swordsman- now I'm the Toa of Aincrad." Then Mataras placed the Kanohi Kraahkan over his mask-less face. "And I'm about to show you why messing with a Black Cat brings bad luck."

He stretched out his hand and summoned a sword that resembled his fire sword, save that the flames were black in color. "System command: set the pain absorber down to level zero."

Sugou took a step back, and his eyes widened. "No," he gasped. "Not that!"

"Is that fear I see in your eyes?" Mataras said as he raised his sword. "Tell me, now that the time has come for the black-hearted hero to face the would-be king of light, will you cower in shame? _He_ never would have, no matter the situation. He never bent the knee to anyone."

"Who…?"

"Oh, come now," Mataras smirked. "Surely you know the name Akihiko Kayaba?"

"K-Kayaba?!" Sugou screeched. "That was his ID you used?! How?! He's supposed to be dead! You kicked the bucket! How are you still taking everything I want out from under my nose, even now?! _HOW_?!" He was now screaming at the ceiling, waving his scythe around wildly as he spat abuse.

"Sugou," Kirito said as he moved to stand beside his brother. "I will never understand people like you- those that hurt others just because they can't have what they want. But one thing that I learned from Mataras is that I don't need to understand my enemies to know that they are evil- and evil has to be gotten rid of."

"_Shut up_!" Sugou screeched. "Die, damn you!" And he moved to cut at Kirito with his scythe, but the Black Swordsman evaded him easily, and slashed at the mask he was wearing hard enough to cut into Sugou's cheek.

The mask of light shattered as Sugou howled in pain, a result of the pain sensors being reduced to nothing. Mataras' eyes narrowed at the thought of this _thing_ before him holding his brother and sister prisoner for so long. _Unforgiveable. _The Toa of Aincrad's sword lit up with shadow energy as he prepared to execute the revenge that he had been so looking forward to.

Lashing out, he severed Sugou's hand at the forearm, causing him to scream even louder and clutch at the stump of a limb. "That was for Yui and Litrosh," he growled.

Kirito switched in to slash off his legs, eliciting another high-pitched scream from their enemy. "That was for torturing my wife," he added angrily.

Mataras lopped off the other arm and said in a flat, removed, tone, "That is for causing the survivors of Aincrad to continue suffering. And this…" He lifted Sugou by the head and tossed him high in the air, readying his sword, even as Kirito did likewise.

When the man came flying back down, Kirito moved first, cutting him in half at the ribcage. Mataras slashed a second after that, slicing right through his head in a horizontal line that went through Sugou's eyes. "Is for trying to play God," he finished. With one last scream, Sugou's avatar exploded, leaving Kirito and Mataras in the tunnel, alone.

Suddenly exhausted, they collapsed onto their seats, grinning tiredly at one another. "We did it," Mataras sighed.

"Yeah," Kirito nodded. "Sorry I took so long. I used the admin credentials to log Asuna out of this game so she could be safe."

"It is no trouble," Mataras sighed. "I believe you made the right choice. Although, I am curious as to why you did not do that _two months_ ago?!"

"When I was out, Kayaba spoke to me," Kirito answered simply. "He gave me the passwords that helped us. Speaking of which…" He looked up and said, "I know you're there, Heathcliff."

"Good to see you both again," said the man as he materialized, just as Mataras had last seen him as the world of Aincrad collapsed. "Hello, Mataras."

"How are you here?" Mataras asked suspiciously. "Sugou said that you were dead."

"As blunt as ever," the man said dryly. "He was right, though. Akihiko Kayaba is indeed deceased. I am… I suppose that you could say that I'm an afterimage of his mind. An echo of the man that was Akihiko Kayaba. For simplicity's sake, simply call me Heathcliff."

"Well, you make just as little sense as he did," Kirito sighed. "But I guess we should thank you."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Heathcliff said warningly. "Too much has happened between us to simply call one another friends. Every debt must be repaid."

"What do you want?" Mataras asked shortly.

"Take this," Heathcliff said as he handed Kirito a glowing golden egg.

"What is it?"

"The seed of the world," Heathcliff smiled slightly. "Once it sprouts, you'll know what it is. What you do with it is up to you- you can even delete it. But if you feel anything other than hatred towards my world, you'll take care of it."

Kirito and Mataras shared a look before nodding at Heathcliff. "We will consider it," Mataras said. "But I will thank you for saving Litrosh the way that you did. I will repay that debt to you."

"Good," the ghost nodded. "Well then. I think that I will be going. I hope that we meet again, Kirito and Mataras. Farewell." And with a flash of light, he was gone.

The two swordsman turned to one another as Kirito put the egg in his inventory and Mataras unequipped his armor one last time. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a little while, then?" the Black Swordsman said.

"Soon, aye," Mataras nodded. "But I think that Suguha will want to see you first. I will explain in detail later, but right now, just get out of here. I will go check on Asuna for you and then call you to let you know that she is safe."

"Thanks, man," Kirito said as he seized Mataras in a rough embrace. "I owe you a lot. If you ever need me again-"

"I know," Mataras grinned. "Now get out of here. Your sister is likely waiting to see if you woke up yet."

Kirito nodded and accessed the GM menu and hit the logout override function. "See ya soon," he waved.

"Count on it," Mataras smiled in return. Then his brother was gone- free. Sighing heavily to himself, the Red Swordsman looked around and said, "Litrosh? Yui? Are you there?"

A burst of fire later, Litrosh stood before his friend with a grin. "Did you miss me?"

"Where is Yui?" Mataras asked with concern.

Litrosh waved the matter aside and replied, "She's fine. We hid ourselves in the local memory of your and Sachi's NerveGears. She can't come back online right now, likely because Sachi logged out already."

"Ah," Mataras breathed in relief. "Good, then. But what if this world is deleted? Will you both be all right?"

"Aye," the former dragon nodded. "As I said, our programs are saved into the NerveGears, not the system. We will be perfectly fine."

"Good," Mataras nodded as he laid a hand on Litrosh's shoulder. "I am going to log out, then. Kirito and Asuna are safe, and I need to get to where Asuna is to make sure that she is safe from Sugou."

"Eh… Need I remind you that in the real world, you are bedridden and under watch by a nurse?!" Litrosh said indignantly.

"Not to worry," Mataras grinned as he accessed his menu. "I have a plan for that little problem. I will make it, just you wait."

"How can you even- You know what, never mind," Litrosh sighed. "You'll do as you please no matter what I say. Go on, then."

"Just like old times," Mataras grinned as he ruffled Litrosh's hair. "I will be back soon. Farewell, Litrosh."

"Good-bye," Litrosh nodded. "Be safe." Then the world around Mataras dissolved, and he felt himself returning to consciousness.

As he rose out of the world of the Bionicle, he reflected on the moment where he had been ready to give in. He smiled as he thought on how he had been rescued once again by the one that he held so close to his heart. _I will not doubt again. Thank you so much, Victoria._

* * *

Michael's eyes shot open to see Shino's concerned face hovering over his. "Hello."

"Ah!" she gasped as she jerked backwards. "You scared me!"

"It was not my intention, but it may well have been inevitable with you hovering over me like you were," Mataras shot back as he struggled to remove his NerveGear while his head throbbed painfully. _I am _not_ doing that again._

"Oh seriously, talk normal!" Shino groaned.

"Normal is boring," Michael grinned as he sat up and began removing the electrodes attached to his body. "Where is the nurse?"

"Staff change," Shino answered. "Why?"

"I need to leave," Michael said as he slowly got to his feet. "Watch after my NerveGear, will you? I am going to call a taxi over to take me to my friend's hospital. It turns out that there really were survivors of Aincrad in that game. Fortunately, I had a little help in freeing them."

"What, you're going already?" Shino said. "You can't take it easy for five minutes?"

"She might be in danger," Michael said as he pulled on a shirt over his head carefully. "And I cannot call the police on the chance that somebody _might_ be about to attack a hospital. They would not stand for it, and I may well end up in jail for a fraudulent claim."

"Ugh…" Shino groaned. "Fine. Get dressed and I'll call a cab. You'll find some way over there even if it's on your own, so I might as well get you there safely." And she left to give him some privacy to change into his pants, taking the NerveGear with her. She would deliver it to Suguha, who was two floors above, waiting for Kazuto to finally wake up.

* * *

When they got to the lobby, there were stopped by a senior nurse. "Hold on a second," he said with a concerned frown. "He doesn't look like he should be up and about, Miss. Where do you plan on taking him?"

"He just wants some fresh air," Shino replied smoothly. "He's not the kind of guy that likes being cooped up inside all the time. We're just going outside for like ten minutes."

"Do you want a nurse to accompany you?" the nurse asked, not totally convinced.

"Do I look that bad to you?" Mataras asked irritably. "I will be fine in the care of Miss Asada, thank you, sir."

"Hmm…" the nurse frowned. "All right… But if you're not back in ten minutes, I'm sending a nurse out there to escort you back."

"Fine by me," Michael muttered. "As long as I can have some fresh air, I won't complain- too much." And they walked out with Michael leaning on his battle partner.

* * *

**Kirito: Okay, so it seems like this segment is gonna keep going for a bit.**

**Sachi: I guess Mataras just decided to alternate who comes on this part since everybody's awake now.**

**Suguha: I won't complain! This is kinda cool, not being contained strictly to the story!**

**Kirito: Yeah, but it does get kinda boring after a while... I'm just glad I finally got in on the action.**

**Sachi: Don't ever change, Kirito.**

**Suguha: Trust me, he won't. In any case, we will see you all next time- don't forget to leave a review!**

**Kirito: Next time, then- Destiny.**


	28. Destiny

**A/N: Here it is, the end of the Phantom Disk arc! (not the end of the Toa of Aincrad, don't worry). I will put up a warning here, though. This chapter is going to be rated T+ (borderline M) because of an extremely brutal fight scene within. Blood is shed and rather disturbing images are portrayed- though I have a feeling that you won't exactly be disappointed by who ends up on the wrong side of the bloodshed. There, you have been warned.**

**Also, the fluffiness between the Red Swordsman and the Cold-hearted Sniper comes to a climax, and many Red Bullet fans will be rather happy, I think. Don't forget to message me and leave reviews! (maybe we can hit 250 reviews before the next chapter? Here's to hoping!)**

**Also, I have put up a Q&amp;A video with several questions that some readers sent me! You can get to it via the link on my profile!**

**Now, on with the story!**

* * *

Destiny

The cab took them to the hospital where Asuna was staying without any fuss, much to Shino's relief. Michael had enough going on that he didn't need any extra stress. He actually slept for most of the thirty minute drive, leaning on the window after using his jacket to create a makeshift pillow.

However, she noticed that he scrunched his brow downward every time that they hit a bump in the road. He must have still been in considerable pain, she realized. As she looked at his sleeping face with interest, she realized that one thing the virtual world failed to create was the permanently hard lines etched into his face, the result of many days of brooding. Also, there was a scar just beneath his jawline, likely from some kind of knife wound a long time ago.

As they hit another bump, he scowled and muttered something before settling down again. Sighing to herself, she gently moved his head away from the window to lay his exhausted body across her lap, forming a much softer resting place for him. His face eased a little bit, even though the hard lines did not completely vanish.

He slept that way for about twenty minutes before they arrived at their destination. "Do you need any help getting your boyfriend in the hospital?" the cab driver asked with concern as Shino woke Michael up with a slight shake of his shoulders. He sat up groggily, shaking his head slowly to clear it.

Shino reddened as she replied, "Uh, he's- we're not- uh… He's just a friend of mine."

"Uh huh," the man winked. "But do you want help anyways?"

"No," Michael said as he fully came to. "I will manage. Thank you, sir."

"No problem," the man replied easily as he accepted his money from Shino. "Take care, kids. Have a nice evening."

"I think we will," Michael smiled back. "Good evening, sir."

"G'night," he said as he shut the door and drove off.

* * *

The pair made their way up the parking lot through the falling snow, Michael leaning a bit on Shino as they walked. Out of the corner of his eye, Michael noticed a single van in the parking lot, which seemed out of place for some reason. Then he saw something moving fast, and his instincts kicked in.

"Look out!" he shouted as he shoved Shino away from himself, just before his right arm felt a lance of fire slash across his bicep. He clutched at the wound, which was already bleeding. He was sure that at least one nerve had been hit.

He glared at his attacker, who was holding another knife in his right hand- a much bigger one than the blade he had just hurled a second ago. "You're late, Mataras," Sugou said as he stepped into the light. "Now I might catch cold." His gait was unsteady, and as he walked closer, Michael raised his eyebrow's at the man's condition.

His right arm kept twitching randomly, and his legs seemed to move of their own accord, though he kept advancing on his younger nemesis. But his eye looked to be the worst off- bloodshot and squinted almost completely shut, with bulging blood vessels in his eyelids. _So this is the result of our run-in._

"Why are you even here?" Michael growled. "You know that you'll be arrested soon. You are finished, Sugou."

"No, no I'm not," the man giggled as he reached into his pocket and took out a handful of pills that he crunched happily. "I may be in a sorry state right now, but the drugs I have manage to keep me going well enough. Not to mention, they are plenty of companies that want me and my research."

"What is this guy talking about?" Shino asked as she moved to stand beside Michael. "Who is he, anyways?"

"The monster responsible for the continued enslavement of the Aincrad survivors," Michael replied, never taking his eyes off of his enemy. "He is the reason why I ventured into Element Six Online in the first place."

"Monster?" Sugou repeated. "No, I am no monster- I am the god of this world. And you, Mataras, are going to die for defying my will." He darted forward, knife in hand.

Michael shoved Shino away again, not wanting to see her hurt. In the same motion, he lashed out with a reverse kick that connected with Sugou's chest, winding him badly, but not before he cut at his right leg.

Michael swore as he felt pain lance up his leg, and he stood gingerly on it. "Michael!" Shino cried, but he turned to her for only a second.

"Go," he ordered. "Get help from inside! I'll be fine until then!"

"But-"

"GO!" She ran as he bellowed while moving in to deflect Sugou's knife with a crane technique. He slammed his knife hand into Sugou's neck on the side, hitting a nerve with the base of his wrist, and causing it to go numb for a moment.

"Damn it, just die already!" Sugou screamed as he kneed Michael in the abdomen, and then bring the hilt of his knife down on his head. Michael grunted and collapsed on the asphalt, his blood staining the white snow beneath him. "That's better. Now- DIE!"

The knife stabbed downward, slashing Michael's cheek. "Damn…" Sugou muttered. "You made it very hard for me to see clearly, Mataras. But don't worry, I'll get it right this time- promise."

"You don't get another chance," Michael snarled as he flipped from being on his side to lying flat on his back, his right arm shooting up and seizing Sugou's windpipe. As the man jerked back, Michael pulled in the opposite direction- and tore his throat out of place.

Sugou dropped the knife as he fell backwards, clutching at his throat. He could only make strange grunting sounds as blood spilled from his mouth, and he looked down at his enemy as he desperately tried to breathe, but to no avail. Michael growled again as he got to his feet and kicked Sugou on his back as he writhed in pain.

"Good-bye, Sugou," he hissed. "For daring to try and take the place of God, you're going straight to hell." Leaning on his good leg, he sent his right leg, the wounded one, up past his head and brought it back down in an axe kick form with shocking force to cave Sugou's skull in. The man didn't even have time to try and scream- he was already dead.

Michael eyed the blood on his shoe with distaste before suddenly realizing that he too had lost a serious amount of blood. He swayed, feeling very dizzy, and sat down on the tarmac before he could outright fall over. But this did not stop his vision from going gray as he laid down in the snow. Never before had the snow felt so soft and warm before.

_Warm…? _He thought as he strained to see. Only just before he passed out did he realize that it was his blood that was turning the snow warm.

* * *

He awoke with a slight start to notice that he was handcuffed to the bed he was on. Looking over to the side, he saw Kikuoka reading through some paperwork. Yanking on the chain to startle the man, he said in an exasperated tone, "Really?"

"You killed a man, and you are possibly insane," Kikuoka said with a shrug. "I'm sorry, but until the trial is over, we have no other choice."

"Where am I?" Michael demanded. "Are Kazuto and Asuna safe?"

"Ask them yourself," Kikuoka said with a slight smile as he pointed in the other direction, where two people were being wheel chaired in. Both of them were thin and pale, but their smiles were bright and their eyes shone as they looked upon their friend. Kikuoka and the nurses took their leave to give them some privacy.

"Hello, Brother," Kazuto said as he was moved to sit beside the bedridden young man. "How do you feel?"

"About as bad as I probably look," Michael admitted, which caused the others to laugh.

"You look like you could use a health potion right now," Asuna quipped.

"Too bad that those are in short supply around here," Michael sighed. "It would truly come in handy right now."

"Well, healthy or not, we both want to thank you," Asuna replied with a smile as she grasped Michael's hand. "We both owe you so much, Mataras. And no matter what anyone else says, I'm glad that you did what you did, Red Swordsman."

"Me too," Kazuto nodded. "I don't really think I could have done it myself if it came down to it."

"It's all right," Michael shrugged. "I once said that I would pay the price if I needed to for committing such acts, and so I will."

"Well, if it makes any difference," Asuna said as she leaned in closer to whisper, "Dad is going to be hiring his best team of lawyers for you. He said he feels really bad about what happened to you, and he wants to make things right."

"Pass him my thanks, then," Michael sighed as he leaned back into his pillows.

"Hey, Michael?" Kazuto asked. "You're talking a little less formal than you used to. What's up with that?"

"Did you prefer my older speech pattern?" Michael grinned.

"No, just wondering," Kazuto replied.

"Eh, I suppose I was tired of people getting on my case about it from time to time," Michael shrugged. "It's not like it was mandatory that I spoke that way. I just found it more fun to do so. But if all it does is annoy others, I suppose it might be time to move on from it."

"Well, as long you're happy," Kazuto said. "By the way, there's a few other people waiting to see you outside. Who's the girl with glasses and short hair? Seemed like she was pretty worried about you."

"Shino's here?" Michael said with raised eyebrows. "Send her in, if you could."

"You sure you don't want to see Sachi first?" Asuna asked.

"Yeah," Michael nodded. "Tell Sayuri that I'll talk to her in a little bit if that's okay."

"Sure deal, Brother," Kazuto smiled. And the two of them left him alone for a moment. He waited patiently until Shino stepped into the room, whereupon he smiled.

"Hey there, partner," he said as she moved to stand beside him.

"Hey," she replied. "Are you okay?"

"Well, I would give you a hug, but I'm a bit weighed down at the moment," he grumbled as he jingled his handcuffs. "Other than that, the painkillers seem to be doing their job- I only feel a bit sore."

"That's good," she said softly. Her hand raised up to hesitantly touch his wounded cheek, but stopped just short of the opened skin. She almost drew back, but, Michael raised himself up just enough for her palm to bush his face. As he fell back, her hand followed, this time stroking his cheek softly, which brought a smile to his face.

"Thank you," he sighed.

"For what?"

"For doing as I asked, even though you wanted to stay," Michael replied. "I know you couldn't have liked that very much." In response, her hand moved down to his shoulder as she leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his forehead, much like he had done to her during the tournament.

As she drew back with a reddened face, she said, "I trusted you. I still do."

"Even though I'm a killer?" he said, his face hard and serious.

"Yeah," she nodded. "You only did what you needed to out of self-defense. Maybe revenge had something to do with it, but you were right when you said that you couldn't let people like that just get away with things. Sometimes things have to get dirty. And I admire that you have the strength to do that, even knowing the risks."

"Thank you for understanding," Michael sighed.

"Of course," Shino nodded. "But… I do have one question for you."

"Fire away."

"When you said that you'd protect me for the rest of my life, did you…" She reddened again. "Did you mean that you'd be there as a friend… or something else?"

Michael looked up at her with serious dark eyes in silence for several moments before he finally answered. "Once upon a time, Shino, I would have said neither- that I would simply be there as a comrade-in-arms. And in Sword Art Online, I would have told you that I would be your friend, nothing more. And now…" He grasped her hand tightly. "I leave the decision to you. I will not ask anything of you that you do not want with all of your heart." Then he waited for her reply.

"Michael…" Shino said as she stroked his cheek with her free hand. "Thank you. Thank you for saying that… But… I think you already know my answer, don't you? You were the first person to really understand me. So tell me: what am I thinking right now?"

"You know, when God made Eve out of Adam's rib, I swear that was the rib men were supposed to use to read minds," Michael muttered. "Men can't read minds, and women expect us to." Shino waited for him to finish grumbling, and he finally said, "But if I were to guess, I would have to say that you want me to protect you as more than a friend and comrade. Or am I wrong?"

Shino replied by resting her forehead against his with closed eyes. "Hit the target in the bull's-eye," she smiled. Then her lips brushed his softly for a small moment, and she felt all of the tension leave his body as he leaned back into his bed with a smile and closed eyes.

"This hardly seems appropriate for a first kiss," Michael chuckled. "I can't even hug you like I want to." In response, Shino leaned over him carefully and placed her head on his chest, where she could hear his heart beating powerfully against his ribs as she wrapped her arms around him, careful to avoid touching his wounds.

"Aw…" Suguha said as the others walked in. "They really are cute together." Michael and Shino ignored her, even as the Aincrad survivors smiled at the sight of their friend finally at peace, without even a shadow hanging over him.

* * *

After some time of chatting with the others, Sayuri and Michael finally had a moment alone together. "So," Michael sighed. "We did it. We won."

"_You_ won, Brother," Sayuri grinned. "I didn't do much of anything to help."

"Don't sell yourself short," Mataras chuckled. "I wouldn't have made it into the gate without your help."

"That was a group effort," Sayuri countered. "And you should know, Sinon held out the longest. It was thanks to her helping everyone else that we held them off as long as we did. You've got yourself quite the girl, Brother."

"Heh," Michael grinned. "I know. What about you, though? Kirito and Asuna are finally reunited, and I have Shino, but you…? Isn't there any way for you to be happy like us?"

"I _am_ happy, Brother," Sayuri replied sincerely. "I have a wonderful family that cares about me, and that's enough. I don't need a boy and a relationship to make me feel special."

Michael nodded and sighed at her reply. "I'm glad for you, then. Many girls would be jealous, and angry that they could not have the same thing that we do… You're not that little girl I found under the bridge anymore."

"Thanks to you, and the other Cats," Sayuri smiled. "And you're not the same introverted, angry hunter that used to show a soft side only once in a while. You're a good man now, Big Brother. I'm proud of you."

"As I am you," Michael grinned.

* * *

Once upon a time, my heart was darker than the elucidator. It burned like the fire from Litrosh's mouth. I thought of nothing more than vengeance. Then a boy with hopes of going home came into my life, showing a drive to win that surpassed even mine. Beside him was a girl that needed those stronger than her to give her a reason to achieve the highest of heights. Then there was one who felt only black despair in the world she lived in. Two children showed me the need to be part of a family. And last of all, there was a girl who appeared invincible, only to be revealed as a fragile child that desperately needed someone to share in her weakness.

Each of them gave me something new to consider other than my own desire to lash out at the worlds that had hurt me so much. One showed me that there was more to life than the law of the sword. Another showed me that even the weak can become stronger than those that teach them. Another revealed that your strength should not be kept to yourself, but shared with those that need it more than you. The children taught me the joys of being part of a family. And the last one has given me a reason to continue walking beyond the world of Aincrad, beyond the virtual world.

My name is Mataras, and I am the Red Swordsman.

* * *

Later that night, when everyone but Shino had left the hospital room, Michael and his girlfriend looked out the window at the snow-filled air. There, in the reflection, they saw two figures staring back at them.

One was dressed in a red waistcoat and black pants, with a red blade sheathed on his back, a confident smirk on his pale face as the wind tousled his jet-black hair. The other stood clad completely in light blue and white armor, armed with a crossbow weapon. Her face was hidden by a mask, but it was obvious that she too, was smiling.

As the couple watched, the pair turned their backs, and walked away, fading into the snow. Sword Art Online was finally over.

* * *

In the following months, things moved very quickly for Michael and the others. Those that had been in school when SAO was launched were gathered in a single school set up by the government specifically to suit their needs, which included regular counseling sessions in addition to regular curriculum. Michael had just graduated high school at an early age before he was trapped, so this did not apply to him, and Shino continued to attend her regular school.

Michael had sustained serious injuries to his head from the two fights that he had been in, and had difficulty keeping his balance for several weeks after the incidents, though he was feeling much better these days. Also, his case was reviewed quickly, no doubt because Kikuoka was able to pull some strings one last time for his young consultant.

The court ruled that he was not to be blamed for the fights, and that he had acted in self-defense, even after viewing footage of his fight against Sugou. His only penalty was that he would have to attend regular counseling sessions for psychiatric examination. Michael thanked Mr. Yuuki repeatedly for helping him out, even though the man said that he owed him no thanks. But that wasn't the end of Michael's time in court.

His parent's will had finally been recovered. He was supposed to attend the hearing, but he had been trapped in Aincrad at the time. Now that he was free, he was finally able to receive his inheritance. What he discovered shocked him.

His father had never talked much about his work, but Michael had always suspected military activity. In the year 2020, America and Japan had become close enough that they would sometimes exchange ideas for space exploration. Michael's father had been a private specialist, one of the top analysts working on a project with a team of mixed American and Japanese scientists, and he had been paid extremely well for his work.

Michael, to put it simply, was now a multi-millionaire, not solely because of his father's work, but also because the government had seen to it that his family was to be well-cared for if something were to happen to him because of the research sometimes being a dangerous line of work.

He quickly used his new fortune to pay off Sayuri's medical bills and get her mother out of debt, something that they were both grateful for. He also bought a house in the same neighborhood as the Kirigaya's- nothing too fancy, but a place that he felt comfortable calling his home. He often had the Moonlit Black Cats over for dinner after school, where they would study homework while he focused on writing a novel.

* * *

"What are you writing about?" Shino asked him the first time she saw him typing away on his laptop.

"I'm calling it the Red Swordsman, sort of like my nickname from Aincrad," he replied as he saved the document and shut the laptop down. "It's going to be a combination of stories, mainly about the Moonlit Black Cats, though some of Asuna and Kirito's friends will get little segments of their own. I'm even doing some parts on the adventures of the Furin Kazan guild."

"Right… Who are they again?" Shino asked, her brow furrowed as she tried to remember. "I know the name, but-"

"They're the guild that Klein ran," Michael replied as he put his arm around his girlfriend and planted a kiss on her cheek. Michael was surprisingly affectionate, Shino thought as she blushed with a small smile. "You remember how we told you about him? I think you even met him one time when he visited me in the hospital."

"Wait, was he the one with the ugly bandana?" she asked.

"That's him," he nodded. "Believe it or not, he's quite the skilled warrior, and a fast thinker when it comes to a hard boss raid."

"Not as fast as you, I bet," Shino winked.

"Eh… I don't like planning things out as much as I like slashing them in pieces."

"So I noticed," Shino remarked dryly.

"What?"

"Nothing…" she sighed. "Sometimes I think that you love fighting more than you like me." She pouted a bit as he chuckled.

"I wouldn't say that," he winked. "Just the opposite, in fact."

"Huh?!" she flushed red at the implications of what he had just said.

Before she could press him about it, he stood up and put the computer on the coffee table and said, "Well, I'm for tea. How about you?"

"Wha-?!" She sputtered. "You can't just say something like that and then just walk off!"

"I'd say I just did, Snowflake," he laughed as he darted into the kitchen, Shino sputtering furiously while the others laughed at her uncontrollably.

* * *

One other thing had been prepared for Michael- and the other Cats- something that not even he knew all the details about. "So, are you ready to meet everyone?" Michael asked Shino as they walked behind Kazuto and Asuna down the alley to Andrew's shop. "I know you met some of them in-game, but it's a little different when you meet them like this."

"I'm sure I'll like it," Shino smiled easily.

"I'm excited, too," Suguha said from behind the couple. Beside her was Sayuri. The two had been talking quietly about the time that Mataras and Kirito had tackled the 75th floor boss, a story that never bored Suguha.

"You'd better be ready for a rowdy crowd once everyone arrives," Kazuto grinned as he opened the door. "They'll- Uh… wait, what?!" Everyone was already inside, much to the surprise of the Moonlit Black Cats.

Michael was the first to catch on as he looked suspiciously at Shino. "Did you…?"

"Looks like the Red Swordsman isn't so quick on the uptake after all," she grinned. "Surprise." Everyone laughed as the Cats were guided up to a makeshift podium by Shino and Suguha. "Okay, you all know what comes next," she said to the assembled party members.

"Oh no," Michael and Kazuto grimaced at the same time while Sayuri and Asuna grinned brightly at their friends.

"CONGRATULATIONS ON BEATING S.A.O.! TO THE MOONLIT BLACK CATS!" the crowd shouted. Camera flashes went off in the faces of the acclaimed heroes.

Michael looked down at Shino and muttered, "You know I hate surprises."

"Yeah, well, consider this payback for that little 'snowflake' comment," Shino grinned wickedly. "Gotcha."

"Cheers!" Silica cried, raising her drink high in the air. The others echoed the call, toasting their companions, who smiled back, even Michael.

* * *

The party went by in a flash for the heroes, and after a couple of hours of recounting old fights and receiving various forms of congratulations- one of which involved a drunk Rika trying to hit on Michael and being thumped by Shino- the boys were exhausted.

"Bartender," Kazuo muttered. "Bourbon on the rocks." To his surprise, a cup with dark liquid and ice was slid towards him from Andrew's massive hand. When he tasted it, he grinned and said, "Oolong tea? Nice."

"Give me something with ridiculous amounts of sugar and caffeine in it," Michael muttered. In response, the shop owner slid him a soda, which he downed quickly before letting out a massive belch that earned him a pat on the back from Klein.

"Nice one," he grinned. "If you coulda pulled that off in SAO, half the mobs woulda just ran away from ya." He ordered an actual bourbon from Andrew, much to the disapproval of Michael and his brother.

"Seriously, Klein?" Kazuto said. "Don't have you work after this?"

"Alcohol makes the overtime go faster," he shot back as he sipped his drink. "Besides… Hot damn…" He grinned at some of the girls who were talking to Sayuri. "Chick alert." Michael dropped a fist on Klein's head before his mind wandered too far.

"Hey kid," a formerly rounded man said. Godfree's time in Aincrad hadn't necessarily been all bad, Michael thought. He was actually a good size after his rehabilitation. "How've you been keepin' up with this whole thing?"

"How do you mean?" Kazuto asked.

"Well, the commander's dead and all, so I figured I'd ask how you were handling it," the man grinned. "No harm intended. If you don't wanna talk about it, I understand." Akihiko Kayaba had been found dead in a cabin in the mountains, a modified NerveGear on his head. Apparently, his equipment hadn't boiled his brain- it had outright fried it with ten times the power of a normal NerveGear rig.

"It's all right," Kazuto shrugged. "It needed to happen, or else we wouldn't be able to go home. But… I had a feeling that wasn't the last we would run into him…" His mind flashed back to his encounter with Heathcliff after defeating Sugou in-game. "Hey, Agil- how's the seed?"

"It's doin' amazing!" the big man grinned. "It's already been downloaded thousands of times. And it's got three hundred big-ass servers runnin' it." After Kazuto had begun to recover, he had taken his NerveGear to his old friend from Algade to examine for any dangers.

It turned out to be a stripped-down version of the cardinal system, one that could be used to create worlds of all kinds, as long as one had the proper equipment. Once it had been declared safe, it was released to the internet, where anyone could get ahold of it. In fact, it was from this program that the salvation of VRMMO's was born.

After the incident with ESO, people's terror of the virtual world was renewed, and the genre of games suffered a heavy hit- near-fatal as it turned out. But the seed that Heathcliff had created allowed people to safely make new worlds that could be more easily scrutinized before being released. A gathering of wealthy fans even managed to salvage the world of ESO and create a new version through the World Seed. And perhaps one of the greatest assets of the seed was the fact that each and every new game had the ability to transfer avatars with all of their skills intact, a feature not available through Amuspheres before, though NerveGears had proven capable, despite being an older generation.

But Michael had gotten together with some other people, and using part of his own new fortune, he had planned out an even bigger surprise for the gaming world. Grinning at the thought, he turned to Andrew and said, "Are we still meeting up as we planned beforehand?"

"You bet," the bald man grinned broadly. "Can't wait to see her again."

"I know what you mean," Kazuto smiled as he looked across the room at his wife. "Everything is gonna be so familiar about it, but I guess there'll be some new features, huh?"

"You're not getting any spoilers out of me," Michael said with a raised eyebrow. "Wait and see, Black Swordsman."

* * *

Sinon jetted through the sky above Mata Nui at breakneck speed, following Mataras as best she could. "Hey, Mataras!" she called out. "What happened to your mask of shadow?!"

He suddenly stopped in place, and had to catch her to keep her from rocketing past him. As he held her in the air, he replied, "It wouldn't feel right to keep it."

"Why, because you entered a system command, and that made it too easy?" she asked.

"No, because black isn't my color theme," he grinned, which caused her to roll her eyes. "It's Kirito's set. And someday, when we've earned the right to fight for it fairly, then it can be his if he wants it."

"Oh yeah?" Sinon grinned. "I didn't see you turn down the Olmak."

"That didn't change my color theme in the slightest, especially when I put it as a reserve mask," Mataras shot back. "Nonetheless, I may be dark-hearted, but I'd like to think that I've made progress back in the right direction."

"Okay, I'll give you that," Sinon sighed. "So, what's this surprise of yours?"

"Look up," Mataras answered as he pointed an armored finger. Sinon did so, but she didn't see anything at first. "Give it a moment- pay attention to the moon," Mataras advised when he saw her begin to turn around. So she did so, looking up at the glowing orb.

As she peered at it, her mask of x-ray vision kicked in, and then she could see a strange shape, growing larger by the second. It looked like a strange metal cone with spikes jutting out like arms near the base. "What…?" she muttered. She continued to watch as the object grew larger and larger, until it blocked out the moon- and suddenly it flashed to life with lights all over the structure.

Sinon's jaw dropped as she said, "Is that…?"

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "The floating castle, Aincrad. Sword Art Online may be over, but we never conquered Aincrad. This is our chance to do so." He turned to Sinon with a smile and said, "I've kept my old avatar for emergencies, but I made a copy with reset stats. So this time, I'll need some more help to beat the steel castle. Will you help me?" He opened up his menu and sent her a request.

Sinon looked down to see the words, 'Mataras has invited you to join the Moonlit Black Cats. Will you accept?' she immediately hit 'yes' and said, "Of course. As long as you protect me, I'll be by your side, I promise."

"Thank you," he smiled. Then he looked below himself sharply, and she followed his gaze to see a multitude of players headed for the steel castle, many of them passing them by with great speed. Klein as a Toa of Fire, Agil a Stone Warrior. Recon, Kurogenei alongside Leafa, Dragon Song and Walter, even Eugene. Last were Mataras' childhood friends, who smiled broadly and waved at them as they passed by.

Coming to a stop beside them were Sachi, Litrosh, Yui, Kirito in the form of a Toa of Earth, and Asuna as a Toa of Ice. Litrosh attached himself to Mataras' back, even as Yui had attached herself to Asuna's armor. "So you did make it," he said.

"Of course," Mataras grinned back. "So here we are, the new Moonlit Black Cats. Shall we finish that which we began?"

"You know it," Kirito grinned as he clanked fists with his brother. Then his voice lowered, and he said something that nobody but Mataras could hear. Whatever he said though, it made Mataras nod sincerely and turn back to face Aincrad.

"Well then," Mataras said, his jets revving up. "Let's get a move on!" And he blasted off with Sinon's hand in his own, the others close behind, each one eager to return to their old home. _With unity, we stood. Our duty, we completed. Our destiny, we have yet to achieve._

* * *

**Kirito: All right! Now we're back in the game for good!**

**Mataras: Aye, and I will say that it will be a relief for me.**

**Kirito: Hey, thanks man! So, what's coming up next?**

**Mataras: Actually, I'll be taking a short break from this story.**

**Kirito: WHAT?!**

**Mataras: Only for a couple of weeks! And I think my fans that followed Star Sword are going to be rather excited by tomorrow, hehe.**

**Kirito: Wait... Are you...?**

**Mataras: Aye, I will be returning to the story of Star Sword for three more chapters- an extra edition, if you will.**

**Kirito: that doesn't sound so bad, actually! And you'll be coming back to this story right after that, right?**

**Mataras: Of course. Also, seeing as it's Labor Day, I want to take a moment to remind everyone that there are many who cannot celebrate this holiday with us because of their sacrifice when they served the United States in our armed forces. My family has spent the last four generations contributing to the safety of this country, and I wish to honor them now by asking that you remember them and their comrades. Until next time, feel free to message me. Farewell for now, readers.**


	29. The Mask of Time

**A/N: Hello, everyone! Did you miss me?! Well I am back and ready for my edition of the Excalibur arc- the quest for the Kanohi Vahi, famed mask of time, first forged by Toa Vakama, and last used by his successor, Toa Tahu! What has changed in the time that Kirito and the others have been exploring this new world? Time to find out, so read on!**

**P.S. So stoked that we shot PAST 250 reviews!**

* * *

The Mask of Time

The date was December thirtieth, in the year 2025. More than a year had passed since the destruction of Old Aincrad, and the release of approximately six thousand players. It took a couple of more months and the combined efforts of the Red Swordsman Mataras, his sister, Sachi, and several other players from the word of Element Six Online to free the remaining three hundred players from their continued comatose state.

Although the virtual world nearly died because of these combined events, it managed to pull through, ironically, thanks to the mind of the man responsible for the tragedy that was Sword Art Online in the first place. A new ESO was born, and even Aincrad returned in all its glory, just the way it was intended.

"I still think that it's weird how we just walk into New Aincrad, and all of our items from ESO get dumped into separate storage," Kazuto muttered as he pored over the new MMO Today's news article. "It would be kinda cool to have those elemental powers in SAO."

"Some others thought the same, but the vote went that it would make the New Aincrad too easy," Michael reminded him. "Stop bellyaching."

"You voted against the transfer of powers, didn't you?" Kazuto muttered.

"I've told you before, and I'll tell you again- no spoilers," Michael grinned.

"How is that a spoiler?" Suguha argued as she came into the dining room with breakfast. "It already happened." Michael had been invited to spend the holiday with the Kirigaya's, and even though he lived not five blocks away, he had accepted their offer- he enjoyed spending time with Kazuto's family.

"Because it'll spoil the atmosphere if we continue to discuss it," Michael replied a little testily. "And unless you want another humiliating rematch in the dojo, I suggest you let me eat my breakfast in peace." In the entire year that she had known him, Suguha had never been able to beat Michael/Mataras in a swordfight.

"If you want your breakfast, you'll tell Big Brother what he wanted to know," Suguha shot back.

"Oei, I paid for that food!" Michael grumbled. Kazuto simply grinned at the whole scene now. It was almost just like old times, although instead of Mataras arguing with Asuna, Michael had taken to friendly bickering with Suguha. He went back to scanning the tablet that he was holding, then suddenly shot up in his seat out of surprise.

"Holy crap, you guys!" he shouted, interrupting Michael just as he was about to deliver another retort to Kazuto's sister.

"What?" he grumbled, snatching his plate from Suguha before she could protest. "Did Thinker put up something good for once?"

"First of all, whaddya mean 'for once?" Kazuto asked as he slid the tablet over to his friend. "Second of all, I think you're the one that was interested in this particular quest."

Michael's right eyebrow shot up even though his face stayed neutral enough. "The Kanohi Vahi, eh?" he said almost to himself as he crunched on his toast. "The article says that Turaga Dume will give out the mask to the Toa or team of Toa that wins in a combat tournament first. The entrance fee is one great disk."

"But I thought that the great disks were scattered all over Metru Nui," Suguha said with a slight frown as she sat down with the rest of the food. "Have they all been found already?"

"I doubt it," Michael said with a shake of his head. "And I don't like the way that this quest sounds. According to the original Bionicle lore, when Turaga Dume became interested in the Mask of Time, that was when the real Turaga had been replaced by the Makuta in disguise."

"Since when were you so fluent in the history of Bionicle?" Suguha asked with interest.

"Since March," Michael shrugged. "I decided that since I would be in that world so much, I should try and learn more about it. So I got Agil to lend me all of his old books and the like until I had perused his collection entirely."

"Well, as impressive as that is, you're missing a point," Kazuto said as he took the tablet back. "This Turaga isn't asking for the mask- he wants to give it out as a prize."

"Well, if you had read up on your history like I have, you'd know that you need the six great disks to create the mask of time," Michael retorted. "He probably doesn't even have it yet. This is probably a ruse designed so that the Makuta can gather the materials for the Vahi without even lifting a finger."

"What does he do with it once he has it in the story?" Suguha asked curiously.

"He never got ahold of it," Michael answered. "The creator, Toa Vakama, managed to keep it out of his hands, but just barely. Eventually, his successor, Toa Tahu, unwittingly sealed it outside of time itself. However, his intention was to essentially walk through time and arrange things so that he could never be defeated in any era."

"So… all of this adds up to there being no mask of time after all?" Kazuto said.

"I didn't say that," Michael replied as he took another bite of toast. "It was confirmed back in August that the great disks had returned back to the game, though they have yet to be found. Which means that it should still be possible to craft the mask of time. Problem is, we would need to keep any of them from falling into the hands of Turaga Dume once we had won the tournament."

"So basically, it's impossible," Kazuto muttered. "The outcome of the quest has already been designated by the system. Great."

"Basically," Michael nodded as he swallowed the toast. "So when should we start the quest, do you think?"

"This afternoon sound good?" Kazuto replied easily.

"Sure, but who do we take with us?" Michael said as he leaned back in thought. "You, Suguha, myself, and Shino can go for certain… You might have to check with Asuna since she's going out of town soon… Sayuri will also likely be able to go, but I should make sure… We need one more person to come along to make a full party of seven."

"What about one of your friends from the orphanage?" Suguha suggested. "Normally I'd ask if Kurogenei could come along, but he's on a skiing trip with his family for the New Year."

"Maybe Lisbeth?" Kazuto suggested. "She's gotten pretty good with her mace again."

"No, not her," Michael said sharply. "She's just… annoying."

"Oh, let it go," Kazuto sighed. "She's not into you anymore."

"Says the king of obliviousness," Michael shot back.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Exactly what I said."

"Oh hey, I know!" Suguha said suddenly, startling both boys. "Agil's gonna be working tonight, but what about Klein?"

Michael and Kazuto exchanged a look, then a grin. "I'm calling Shino and Sayuri, you get Klein and Asuna," Michael said as he dashed off from the table to go get his phone from upstairs.

"All right!" Kazuto grinned as he snatched up his home phone. "Time for the last adventure this year!"

"It'll be a nice break from all that floor clearing in New Aincrad..." Suguha muttered under her breath.

* * *

That afternoon, the party was assembled in Kurogenei's shop, save for Asuna and Leafa. "Thanks for coming along, Klein," Mataras said as he browsed through his equipment. "This saves us a recruiting trip."

"Yeah well, a samurai never lets his friends down, ya know?" the Toa of Fire grinned. "But I could be doin' other things, so I want somethin' outta this, too."

"Such as…?"

"When somebody figures out where the mask of light is, I want your guys' help to get it!' he grinned cockily. "Seems only fair that a samurai should get ahold of such a noble mask, am I right?"

"You do know that in most games, samurais are classified as both swordsmen and _dark_ magic users?" Sinon grinned. "And seeing as somebody's already made off with the mask of shadow…"

"What? Kirito, is that true?!" Klein turned to his old friend.

"Uh…" Kirito didn't really know how to answer that, so Mataras cut him a break by grabbing Klein by the shirt and dragging him away.

"What matters most to a samurai is their code of honor," he said simply. "Everything else is simply a bonus."

"Oh," Klein said as he straightened himself. "Well, when ya put it that way…" He grinned at Sinon, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Hey everyone, sorry we're late!" Asuna's voice was followed by herself, Leafa, Yui, Litrosh, and Kurogenei.

"What took ya so long?" Klein asked as the girls and the merchant set down their wares on a table. "Did ya get held up in line or something?"

"Not at all!" Yui chirped happily as she skipped up to her father, who scooped her up and set her on his shoulders. "We were in town gathering information!"

"Apparently, the whole game is buzzing about the Kanohi Vahi quest, even here on Mata Nui," Litrosh informed his old friend as he handed him some health potions. "The tournament is being held tomorrow night, on New Year's Eve. But unless all the great disks are present, the event won't go through."

"How many of them have been found?" Mataras asked as he stored the items.

"Four, actually," Asuna said with a worried frown. "The only ones left are the Ta-Metru disk, and the Onu-Metru disk."

"Ouch," Kirito winced as Mataras thought with a frown. "Which one should we take?"

"Well, what are the drawbacks to either location?" Sachi asked.

"The Onu-Metru one hasn't been found yet because people keep getting lost in the tunnels where it's supposed to be," Leafa said. "But the Ta-Metru disk is supposed to be in these massive fire pits that incinerate anyone that gets too close to 'em."

"Sounds hurty," Klein winced. "Even as a Toa of Fire, I'm not diggin' that last bit."

"But it would be less ground to cover, right?" Mataras countered.

"Yes, but it's also a faster way to die," Sachi pointed out.

"Well, if we only have tonight to find the disk, I don't think we should start with the caves of Onu-Metru," Sinon said. "They're even worse to get lost in than Onu-Wahi. Take one wrong turn, and it'll be days of diving before you get back out, if not weeks."

"See?" Mataras said as he laid a hand on Sinon's shoulder. "She agrees."

"Eh…" Asuna said uneasily. Neither option sounded appealing to her. On one hand, she hated the dark, and creepy tunnels filled with deadly rahi definitely did not agree with her. But as a Toa of Ice, the fire pits of Ta-Metru also sounded decidedly uncomfortable.

"Well, we'd better put it to a vote, and quick," Kirito said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Otherwise, we'll be here all night. All those in favor of searching for the Onu-Metru disk?" He stuck his hand up, as did Klein and Sachi.

When the other four didn't, Mataras grinned and said, "Looks like we're going to Ta-Metru, then."

"Aw man, back me up, Sis!" Kirito complained.

"No way," Leafa said with a shake of her head. "I hate going underground- it makes it way too hard to use my air powers."

"Good luck, you guys!" Kurogenei said as Mataras equipped his armor and activated his Kanohi Olmak. "I hope you get that mask."

"Thanks, Kuro," Leafa said as she kissed him good-bye. "We'll be back in time to celebrate the New Year, okay?"

"For sure," he nodded.

"Okay, lovebirds," Mataras said as the portal he imagined flashed to life. "Let's get a move on."

"Oh, like you can talk with Sinon right there," Leafa muttered as she jumped through the portal. Asuna and Kirito went next, hand-in-hand. Klein was next, followed by the Av-Matoran and Sachi. Last to go in was Sinon and Mataras, who leaped through simultaneously. Kurogenei kept on waving until the portal vanished and he could no longer see his friends.

* * *

"All right," Mataras said as he rubbed his palms together in anticipation. They had all arrived in a chute station in the middle of Ta-Metru, not too far from the Great Furnace. "Litrosh, where are the fire pits?"

"Just north of here- I'm detecting a number of players already in the vicinity," the AI replied as he scanned the area.

"Will we have to fight them?" Asuna asked as she equipped her thin sword.

"Once we have the great disk in our possession, the chances of that occurring are quite high, yes," Litrosh nodded. "Although if given a few seconds, Mataras can likely open a portal straight to the coliseum for us."

"Probably a good plan," Kirito said as they began walking towards their destination. He manipulated his menu and accessed his mask's inventory. "Let's get going, guys. It's only a matter of time before somebody finds the right pit before we do."

"About that…" Sachi said with a frown. "How many of these pits are there?"

"Only a few dozen," Sinon replied. "The problem is, the disk isn't visible from the lip of the put- you have to get deep inside it before you can see in."

"Why hasn't anyone used a mask of x-ray vision to see where it is?" Klein asked. "That should make things easy, right?"

"Since when was getting a legendary item easy?" Mataras snorted. "The fires and the disk aren't the only things down there, are they, Litrosh?"

"Correct," the red Av-Matoran nodded. "A monstrous plant known as the Morbuzakh lives down in the pits, and they have proven immune to the fires within. Anyone that has gone down to investigate has been caught by the vines and killed by the fire. And the vines have made seeing the disk difficult, as they seem to know whenever a mask is being activated, and they usually get the user before they can spot the mask."

"Man, is this quest supposed to be friggin' impossible?" Klein grumbled. "We're supposed to look inside a pit that may or may not blow up in our faces, fight a creepy vine monster, and not use our elemental powers. Did I miss anything?"

"Yes, actually," Yui said with a thoughtful frown.

"What's wrong, Yui?" Asuna asked her daughter.

"This quest… There's something you all should know," Yui said with a deeper frown. "If what I'm reading in my archive data is correct, Metru Nui will be destroyed when the mask of time is created."

"Wait, what?" Most of the others gasped, with the exception of Sinon and Mataras.

"The time of shadow… The day that the twin suns cease to shine, and the Great Spirit himself is put to rest," Sinon muttered. "That's right. In the original story, the mask of time was created, and the Makuta put a spell over every matoran and Mata Nui himself. The whole city was destroyed in the process."

"But that doesn't mean that if we finish this quest, that's what will happen," Mataras said with a slight frown. "Right?"

"I don't know," Sinon shrugged.

"I seriously doubt that's the case here," Kirito said as he continued to mess with his inventory. "The maps wouldn't change from fully functioning to destroyed without some kind of notice from the admins. But in any case, I'd rather we be at the scene of action when the main event kicks off. How about you guys?" And he confirmed his changes, a new mask replacing the Calix that he had been wearing for display.

Now there was a powerful, sleek mask in its place. Although the first time Mataras had seen it, it had been dented and rusty, now it was smooth and sleek in appearance. In October, Mataras had managed to get the location of the mask of shadow from Argo, an old contact from his days in Sword Art Online, and he had gone with the others to obtain the mask for Kirito on his birthday, making him the first owner of a legendary mask in the new ESO.

"Everyone ready?" the Toa of Twilight asked, twin blades from Tajun in hand.

"Of course," Mataras grinned as he drew his own sword. "Makuta or no, we're getting that mask, and anyone who gets in our way is going to feel the bite of mine blade."

* * *

**Kirito: All right! Back in action for real this time!**

**Mataras: You know it! It's been a bit of a time gap for us, but I think we'll do just fine, don't you?**

**Asuna: Of course! Compared to SAO, this is nothing!**

**Mataras: You got that one right. Also, if our readers are curious, Kirito happens to be using a modified version of Glatorian Tarix's dual blades. The difference is that instead of blue, the blades are pitch black.**

**Kirito: At first I couldn't believe you wanted me to use those, but then I realized how well-balanced they are. Thanks for making me stick to it!**

**Asuna: Hey, Mataras? how come I don't have anything noteworthy yet?**

**Mataras: Don't worry, I'll get to you, too. Just be patient, okay?**

**Asuna: I hate being patient... and so do our readers. Seriously, another cliffhanger?**

**Mataras: Always. Until then, see ya!**

**Kirito: We're ending already?!**


	30. The Great Disk

**A/N: Hey guys, school and work have been light this week, so I'm back up to a super-speed writing pace! (at least for a little bit) In regards to one of my reviewers questions, the redo where the Red Leaf gets a ship is going to be on its way sometime within the next month or so, once I've finished the Zekken/ Mother's Rosario arc. Hope this amps up the anticipation for you!**

**Also, although this says that this is chapter 30, it's actually 29 because of the preview I inserted at one point. I'm hoping that we might be able to hit 300 reviews upon the release of the 30th chapter. Think we can make it, guys? Let's see!**

**But I'm sure you don't want to hear me ramble on and on. Let's get on with the story, shall we?**

* * *

The Great Disk

The fire pits were impressive, Mataras had to admit. Each one was at least fifty meters in diameter, and they all shot up flames that looked similar in size to what Mataras had produced when in the form of a dragon. About a half-dozen of them were occupied with other parties, so they stayed clear of those for the time being.

The water and ice Toa were looking to be in a sorry state already, due to their conflicting natures with fire. Mataras noticed this with concern, and he said, "Maybe Sinon, Asuna, and Sachi should stay back for this part of the quest. You're already looking ill."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel special," Sinon muttered dryly as she leaned on him for support. "I'll be fine as long as I don't have to do any running, okay?"

"Same here," Asuna grinned wearily.

"Maybe I can use my power to cool us down," Sachi offered as she began concentrating on summoning a cooling mist.

"No, save your strength," Kirito said with a shake of his head. "Exhausting yourself won't help anyone. If you're gonna stay, just focus on staying awake."

"Okay…" the girl nodded heavily.

Mataras reached out to her, and ended up supporting both Sinon and Sachi as they trudged through the fire pits. When they reached an empty one, he shook Sachi a bit and said, "Come on, Sister. Let's see if your mask sonar can pick up on anything down there."

"Right, got it," she said as she shook her head to clear it a bit. Concentrating heavily, she sent forth a wave of sound discernable only to her. After listening for a moment, she shook her head and said, "Nothing here."

"Right then," Mataras muttered. "Next one, then." Using the mask of sonar that Sachi possessed had been Klein's idea to save them the risk of having to fly down into the pit itself to look for the coveted disk.

"Uh, guys?" Leafa said as she drew her sword and readied her golden shield. "We've got a problem." As the others turned to look, they prepped their own weapons as more than two- dozen black Morbuzakh vines rose out of the surrounding pits, dripping with liquid fire and covered with thorns.

"More like a lot of problems," Klein muttered, his katana at the ready. He wasn't too worried though- unlike most gamers in ESO, he never used his elemental powers- said it went against the code of the samurai. This meant that even though he was a Toa of fire, his fighting style was suited perfectly to deal with the vines.

Mataras got the girls to stand on their own as he drew his own blade and grinned. Although he was quite fond of using his flame abilities, his original fighting style was based on real-world combat techniques, so he too would have no problem fighting the Morbuzakh. "Grab some trimmers, because it's harvest time," he chuckled as he took aim with his nyrah blaster.

"Girls, make sure you stick to long-range fighting," Kirito ordered. "We don't wanna have you guys passing out cos you overexerted yourselves."

"Aye aye, captain," Sinon muttered. She pulled out her crossbow and sniped a vine that tried to attack Leafa first. The thing let out a disturbing hiss and plunged back into the pit from which it had come. "Watch out!" she called. "It'll be back and healed from the fire!"

"Great," Klein muttered. "We gotta avoid gettin' caught, kill 'em off fast cos they can heal here, and still find the disk!"

"If you're done stating the obvious…" Mataras muttered as he took flight, using his sword to slap away a vine as it tried to wrap itself around him. Since this was his Amushpere account, the avatar responded more like he would have were this all real instead of with his supernatural reflexes granted by the NerveGear.

Still, Michael was an expert martial artist with quick reflexes, so Mataras was fully capable of pulling off some incredible things with all of his armor enhancements. Performing a summersault to slip through a pair of vines that shot forward to squeeze him, he lashed out with his sword and cut one of them clean through.

As he thrust with his legs to pull off a one-eighty, he shouted, "Sinon! Freeze it!" She immediately did so, covering the other vine with a thick layer of frost. The ice melted quickly in the intense heat of Ta-Metru, but it slowed the vine long enough for Mataras to finish it off.

The others caught on to this strategy fairly quickly, Sachi providing extra water for Asuna and Sinon to work with as they froze the vines over one by one, letting the others handle the physical side of combat. Yui and Litrosh also provided elemental power boosts by attaching themselves to the Ice Toa.

Within fifteen minutes, all of the vines were shattered pieces of game data, and the team of Toa resumed their search after restoring their health and elemental powers. "So maybe using a mask of sonar wasn't such a great idea after all," Leafa grinned tiredly. "At this rate, someone's sure to find it before us."

"No, they won't," Mataras said as he suddenly stopped walking. "I know where it is."

"Huh?!" Klein said. "Just like that?! How do you know?!" Mataras pointed at a pit two lengths in from the fence that had no special markings whatsoever. Klein looked at him flatly and said, "What makes ya so sure, huh?"

"Look closely, but don't use your masks," he cautioned. "That's the only pit I've seen in here that has a Morbuzakh vine near the rim without anyone even being close to it. So I'm willing to be good money that the disk is in there." The pit he had pointed out suddenly burst into flames, and Mataras realized that this was a golden opportunity.

"Come on!" he said as he took off. "That pit won't go off for a little while now! We need to hurry!" The others scrambled to follow suit, some of them grumbling that he must be crazy. Still, nobody had any better ideas, so they went along with it.

As soon as he drew close, a dozen or so thick vines shot out of the pit, all looking very angry somehow. "Yeah, I'm with Mataras on this one," Kirito said as he activated his mask of shadow. "Seems like it would be in a place like that." A second later, the shadows of his comrades sprang to life, each one heading for a different vine.

While this initially startled some of them, they quickly adjusted and attacked the vines again, though this time they were met with harder resistance than before. Mataras was actually forced to block and counterattack than he was used to, and it made him angry. It took everything he had not to let it erupt into fire, which would just make the situation worse, he knew.

They tried to freeze the vines over again, but these plants were even faster than their brethren. "Yup, definitely down there," Klein muttered as he cut at one of the thorny vines.

"What'd ya say?" Kirito grunted as he slashed at the same vine, finally destroying it.

"Nuthin," Klein grunted as he activated his Kanohi Pakari Nuva, granting himself and the party member's extra physical strength. In response, the vines began to target Klein anew. At first Mataras went to tell him to switch off the mask, that it wasn't worth the risk. Then he stopped himself and grinned savagely.

"Okay, I know that look," Sinon said tiredly. "Just hurry up and do it."

"Kirito!" Mataras called. "Use your mask of feats!"

"But then they'll just attack me!" Kirito shouted.

"Just trust me, I have this under control!" Mataras shot back, his mask of dimensional gates beginning to glow. The Morbuzakh immediately switched its interest from Klein to him, and now it was ready to crush him.

Seeing the new pattern, Kirito caught on and activated his own mask again. The Morbuzakh changed targets once again and headed for the Toa of Twilight. His body twisted and dodged almost of its own accord as he evaded the deadly clutches of the vines. Just as it seemed they would claim him, a massive portal opened in front of them. The instant that they touched it, the portal travelled down their entire length, swallowing them whole. And just like that, they were gone, away from the pits.

"Where'd you drop 'em?" Kirito gasped.

"Ko-Metru," Mataras grinned. "They might not die there, but I'll bet that they'll be easier to deal with for whoever finds them over there instead of here."

"Fair enough," Klein grinned. "Nice work, Red Swordsman."

"I do my best," Mataras grinned. "Okay Sachi. See if you find anything down there before other players or mobs show up." The girl nodded and used her mask to send a sonar pulse down the pit once more. This time, she grinned as she looked up at her brother.

"Guess what I found," she said.

* * *

Michael sat up and stretched his muscles as he pulled off the amusphere. "Oei…" he groaned. "That was more exhausting than I thought it would be." He set the silver crown down on his nightstand, next to a small box, no bigger than a child's fist. _But as much as that world makes my heart race, it's nothing compared to the rush I get when I think of what lies in there…_

Shaking his head to clear it, he got out of his bed and headed downstairs to get started on dinner. The others were coming soon, and it would make for a poor welcome if there was no food available for them- especially with Ryoutarou and Kazuto, he reflected.

* * *

He had a barbeque set up for them despite the cold winter since there was no snow yet, and they all appreciated the hot food. "Man, maybe we should just have our New Year's party over here," Kazuto grinned. "This is good stuff."

"Yeah, but then you won't be able to use your mechatronics project for Yui and Litrosh," Michael reminded him.

"True," he nodded.

"Mecha-what-now?" Shino asked.

"Mechatronics- it's what Kazuto's been studying in school lately," Asuna said. "Somehow, he's gonna use it to help Yui out, though he hasn't told any of us how it works, or what it does exactly."

"Well, I think we'll find out tomorrow," Michael said as he helped himself to a bit of salad. "Thanks for this, by the way, Suguha."

"Hey, it's no problem," she grinned. "Thanks for having us over."

"Hey man, how's the book sellin', by the way?" Ryoutarou asked. "I read it, and I thought it was pretty rad!"

"Of course you did," Michael said with his eyes rolled. "You were one of the characters in it. But to answer your question, it's going rather well for a first novel. I doubt that it will make any kind of impact on the New York Times or anything like that, but I'm pleased with the result."

"Well, here's to you, then!" Ryoutarou grinned as he raised his glass. "Cheers to a guy that saves lives, beats monsters, kicks ass, and writes awesome books!" The others echoed the cheers, somewhat to their host's embarrassment.

"Okay, Ryoutarou," he chuckled. "What did you drink before you came here?"

"Hey, that cuts kinda hard," Ryoutarou said as he feigned hurt.

"Oh, Brother, what's the strategy for tomorrow afternoon?" Sayuri suddenly asked.

"Well…" the boy said as he frowned in thought. "I'm not entirely sure yet. If the tournament is a free-for-all, which I suspect will be the case, I think that we'll simply split off in two groups of two and one group of three."

"What about Yui and Litrosh?" Asuna asked.

"Av-Matoran won't be allowed," Suguha answered. "It sucks, but we don't have any say in the matter. Might as well just grin and bear it."

"True," Asuna sighed.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Sayuri smiled. "I'm sure Kirito and Mataras can pull off the win for us."

"Hey, why do ya assume that they'll be the last one's standing?!" Ryoutarou said sharply.

"Because in situations like this, we usually are," Michael stated flatly.

"Yeah, that's true…" the katana-wielder sighed. "Just cos you guys have fancy masks…"

"Oh come now, you know that's not all that there is to it," Michael shot back. "There's the Law of the Sword to consider."

"Still goin' with that one, are we?" Ryoutarou said as he rolled his eyes.

"Always," Michael grinned.

* * *

Once the plates had been picked clean, Michael went to do the dishes, and Kazuto joined him without a word. "So, Brother, have you decided when?" he said after a few moments of silence. Michael flushed slightly red as he read the implications behind Kazuto's question.

"Probably tomorrow night," he admitted.

"You still sure you wanna do it?" the other boy asked. "You're pretty young."

"I'm financially set, and I've more than proven my mettle," Michael countered. "I see no reason why not at this point."

"True," Kazuto sighed. "To be honest, I kind of envy you."

"Heh," Michael grinned. "You wouldn't be the first."

"Oh, ha ha, aren't we funny tonight?" Kazuto said as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come now, admit it: you had that one coming, Mr. Dual Wielding Black Swordsman, husband of the legendary Lightning Flash." Michael grinned wider as Kazuto flushed at the extended use of his name.

"Says the Dragon Master Red Swordsman," he finally said back.

"Yes, says I," Michael replied as he got the dishwasher going.

"Seriously, though…" Kazuto said as he clapped Michael on the shoulder. "I'm glad for you. If anyone deserves a happy ending, it's you."

"What makes you say that?" Michael replied. "You fought just as hard, if not harder than I did. You withstood torture while I recovered in the comfort of home."

"You died for us," Kazuto answered. "I don't know if any of us would have had the courage to do the same."

Michael thought about that for a bit before he shook his head. "I think Asuna would have taken the hit had I not told Yui to leave her paralyzed. I didn't want her to do anything reckless."

"Oh, like you can talk," Kazuto chuckled. "But seriously, I mean it. You deserve to be happy. And so does she."

"On that, we can agree," Michael nodded. "I just hope I'm up to the challenge."

"You are," Kazuto winked. "Whenever you're in the room, Shino's face lights up and she's smiling. You make her happy just by being there for her. And isn't that what this is all about?"

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Michael sighed. "All right. Tomorrow night it is. Just makes sure that Yui and Litrosh can watch it happen."

"Sure thing," Kazuto nodded. "I'd better be going home, then. I've got a few things to tweak if it's gonna be ready by tomorrow."

"Make sure you still get some good rest, though," Michael reminded him. "We've got a tournament to win tomorrow."

"Sure thing," Kazuto replied as he went to get his coat and call Suguha to the door.

* * *

The next afternoon, everyone was lying in Michael's house on a sofa, a bed or at least a mat of some kind. As one, they donned their amuspheres. As one, they prepared themselves to dive into the virtual world. As one, they intoned the immortal words: "Link, start!"

* * *

**Kirito: All right! Finally, the new Moonlit Black Cats are in full action!**

**Sinon: It's about time, too. I wonder who we'll be facing off against in the tourney this time?**

**Mataras: I won't give out any direct spoilers, but we'll definitely see some familiar faces.**

**Kirito: Sounds like fun to me.**

**Mataras: Any fight these days sounds like fun to you!**

**Kirito: That's true, but at least I can be honest about it.**

**Sinon: Still, you could tone it down just a little, don't you think? I think Asuna's getting worried that you love your swords more than her.**

**Kirito: Aw, come on! Hasn't that joke been done to death?**

**Mataras: Maybe, but it's still funny. Anyways, time for usto go.**

**Kirito: Next time- The Coliseum.**


	31. The Coliseum

**A/N: All right! Second-to-last chapter for the Vahi arc! I won't waste too much time here, I will only say that I really, really hope we hit 300 reviews with this, the thirtieth chapter! If you joined this story late, feel free to go back to earlier chapters and leave your thoughts there! Maybe even recall what drew you to this story in the first place! In any case, you all rock, every single one of you- thank you for sticking with this story for so long.**

**All right, Link Start!**

* * *

The Coliseum

"_Hello_, Metru Nui!" Leafa laughed as she waved at the excited crowd. Looking over at the others, she added, "I always wanted to be able to say that!" Her friends rolled their eyes, but smiled at her antics. After all, she was right- this was pretty cool, being able to fight in a mountain-sized coliseum.

The structure was made entirely out of metallic protodermis, the only exceptions being the floor and statues of Toa gone by in the stadium. The floor was controlled from an office near where the Turaga would stand to preside over the game, and it allowed the system to change the terrain at random.

In the crowd were Toa of all kind, from every island in the game, though it was safe to say that a majority of them were from Metru Nui itself. They were all cheering in anticipation and excitement as they waited for the combat to begin.

Atop a massive podium was a Turaga of brilliant red color, dressed in a dark purple robe. Mataras eyed him suspiciously, but he held his peace for the moment. Until Turaga Dume acted in a suspicious manner, he had no reason to try and attack him.

"Toa, guardians of the Great Spirit, Mata Nui," the AI began. "We are gathered here today to see who among you is worthy of wielding the mask of time, one of the six greatest masks in all of existence. As proof of your ability to compete in earnest, you have each gathered a great disk, which you will now present." A Vahki enforcer walked up to each of the teams and held out its hand.

Here, Mataras hesitated. If they were right and the six disks were needed to create the mask of time in the first place, should he really be giving this one up? Then, looking at the other teams, he resigned himself to the fact that even if it were possible, he didn't have the other five disks, and thus the mask was still out of his reach. _Best to wait and see how this will play out._ He handed over the mask without a word.

Sinon put a hand on his shoulder and said quietly, "Don't worry about it. We'll get that mask, just wait and see."

"I know," he grinned. "Thank you for your words, though. They mean much to me." She smiled and clanked fists with him. In the real world, she would have probably kissed him on the cheek, but that was rather hard to do with a mask in the way.

"Honorable Toa!" Dume boomed. "The tournament shall now begin! The team that stands last will be declared the victor and wielder of the Kanohi Vahi!" The crowd roared in delight as the Toa on the field took their ready stances. "May Mata Nui guide and protect you," the Turaga finished. Then the bell sounded, and the teams charged.

* * *

As they had discussed the previous night, the Black Cats spilt their forces in order to deal with other threats quickly. Sinon and Leafa would be working together while Klein and Asuna would team up with Kirito. This left Mataras and Sachi working together, much to their delight. "Just like old times, huh?" Sachi grinned as she moved to engage a Toa Hordika.

With the latest update occurring last May, a new variety of Toa had been added to the mix- the half-beast, half-hero avatars known as the Hordika. They were physically stronger than any normal Toa by far, and they could command other rahi to aid them if their intimidation skill was high enough. However, their elemental powers were much harder to control, and they could not use mask powers.

Still, to get in this tournament, one could not have been an ordinary player, and this Toa showed it by launching a rhotuka spinner off of his back that struck Sachi and caused her to be caught up in a tornado. Mataras glared at the half-beast and activated his Calix. Three moves later, he was nothing but a heart stone, and the tornado imprisoning Sachi was gone, dropping her like a sack of potatoes.

Mataras jetted forward and up to catch her in the air as he chuckled, "Yup. Just like old time all right." Once she was able to regain her sense of balance, Sachi flew on her own jets. Looking around while she did that, Mataras noticed that Sinon and Leafa were being backed into a wall by a group of five stone and earth Toa. This was especially bad for Sinon, who was still inept at fighting close-range opponents.

"Sachi, get their attention," he said as he started to fly right at them. "I'll take care of the rest, all right?"

"You got it!" she said as she pulled out her harpoon. Before she could fire, though, Mataras was tackled out of the air by something- or rather, some_one_\- rather large. Mataras shook off his enemy by pummeling them with fire just before they crashed into the ground. He rolled backwards and looked up with a glare at Dragon Song, who staggered to his feet.

"I should have seen that one coming, shouldn't I?" he growled as he straightened himself.

"Yes, you should have," Dragon nodded, a chuckle barely being restrained. "I've been waiting a long time for this, Mataras."

"I'm sure you have," Mataras nodded. "I'm sure you have. However, since I'm in the middle of something, I'll deal with you later." And he turned around to walk away, knowing full well what would come next.

Bracing his legs slightly as he walked, he waited for the telltale rumble in the ground that would indicate the use of elemental powers at work. Sure enough, the rock beneath him shot up, catapulting him skyward. Since he had been expecting it, though, he was able to use his leg jets to stay in control as he rose rapidly.

Sachi met him in the air and said, "Do you need help?"

"Nah," he grinned. "Go help the other girls before the get offed. I've got Stonewall down there." He aimed his cordak blaster at the large Toa and fired, just missing hitting him directly.

"If you say so," Sachi nodded. "Just a bit of warning, though. This guy was the only one that made it in here on his own, without the assistance of a party." Then she took off to help Sinon and Leafa who were just barely managing to keep their enemies at bay now.

"Is that so…?" Mataras muttered as he dove down. _It appears that he's stepped up his game since we last clashed. Still…_ He shouldered into the massive Toa with enough force to send him wheeling backward several paces. _I'm no slouch, either._

"You're still as fast as I remember you to be," Dragon said. "If not faster."

"I always found speed to be the most important factor in a duel," Mataras nodded. "Though if you do manage to hit me, I can admit that it will be difficult for me to get back up."

"You won't be getting up once I've hit you," Dragon replied ominously. Reaching onto his back, he pulled out a massive scythe that was easily twice his enormous height in size. "Not with my training and this weapon."

"Yes, I've heard that before," Mataras smirked. He casually back fisted a Toa that tried to attack him from behind, then ran him through with his blade to finish him off. But not once did he take his eyes off of his real opponent. "And you know what? Nobody has ever been right when they've told it to me. Why will you be any different?"

"Because I have the drive to win that nobody else does," Dragon replied as hefted his scythe into position. "No one has ever wanted to defeat you as badly as I."

Mataras' eyes hardened, and Dragon wondered at it. "No one, eh?" Mataras repeated as he began to advance, fire trailing his footsteps and dancing across his gauntlet and sword. "You're wrong, Dragon. Many have wanted to defeat me for more than a petty mask."

Dragon lashed out with his scythe, but Mataras back flipped over it and retaliated with a fire burst that blinded his enemy. "Many fought me to save their very lives, and I never once obliged them when they pleaded for mercy. Life is the most precious thing in this world, or any other for that matter, and I did not once forget the gravity of my actions."

Dragon moved fast for someone his size, moving in close so he could slug Mataras in the mask while yanking backwards on his scythe to cut him in half. The Toa of fire gave him a flat look before ducking underneath the blow, rolling backwards and shooting the massive Toa with an explosive dart from his revolver.

"You can never claim to be my greatest opponent, because you don't know what it is to hold both life and death in your hands," Mataras said as his sword came up. "You don't know the cost of executing judgement upon those that must be excised from life." Dragon roared angrily, using his powers to launch massive boulders at the arrogant Fire Toa.

He responded by melting or cutting them in half as they flew at him. "I don't understand you," Dragon huffed. "You're so strong, yet you always seem to hold back. Perhaps the one time that I've seen you go all out was when we fought to save your friends. Why won't you extend the same courtesy to me?"

"Because you haven't earned it yet," Mataras replied flatly. "The day that you learn why everything in this world is so precious to me is the day that you will see me unrestrained once again."

"And how am I supposed to meet that set of circumstances?" Dragon spat angrily. "I half think that you enjoy just taunting me, and never really plan to fight me all out!"

"Perhaps there is some truth to that," Mataras said with the ghost of a smile. "But only when you have learned the value of life in all worlds can we fight on equal terms. You possess the same potential as I, only it has yet to be released."

Dragon shook with anger. Everything that he had been working towards in this world for nearly a year was now being shredded in front of his eyes. "Damn you," he finally said. "The day that I meet your conditions… You will fall in this world."

"I look forward to it," Mataras grinned. "But for now…" He moved so fast, he was like sparks in a lively campfire- flickering at the edge of one's vison, only to reappear in an entirely new spot less than a second later. Dragon was pummeled with dozens of blows in the span of a minute, and though he countered and blocked with great skill, Mataras simply moved too fast to be caught.

Dragon Song was by no means a stupid person. Despite the stereotype that he was a musclebound moron, he was actually quite smart. But still, even the smartest man can lose his intelligence when anger consumes him, and that is just what happened. His movements became wilder and more instinctual than practiced.

Mataras evaded the blows coolly, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. It came when Dragon slammed his scythe into the ground so hard, the blade went all the way into where the metal connected with the shaft of the weapon, sticking fast. Before he could use his mask of strength to pull it out all the way, Mataras flicked his sword up to his neck and paused for a second so that their eyes met.

Both read the same message in the other's eyes: _next time, there will be no restraint._ They would not meet again until Dragon was ready to face Mataras in his prime. Then the sword moved again, severing Dragon's head from his body.

* * *

As he flew off, Mataras shook his head in annoyance. "He's almost as stubborn as me," he muttered. "He might actually- ach!" He was blasted out of the air with a wind pulse. He managed to land heavily on his feet and look at the one that had shot him. "Oh, hey, Delta."

"Hey, dude," the green Toa grinned. "Sorry it had to go like this, but Epsilon wants that mask, too. No hard feelings?"

"None at all," Mataras replied. He meant it- if someone had the power to take something in a world where the sword ruled, he bore no grudges against those strong enough to take something they wanted. It was simply the way that the world worked. "I assume the same goes for you four?"

"Of course," Theta said after he blurred up to join his comrade. "I don't have any hard feelings against guys I beat up."

"Oh, really?" Mataras said slowly. "None of you have ever been able to lay a hand on me before. What makes you think that today will be any different?" As he spoke, he was activating his Kanohi Olmak.

"Cos we have two to your one," Epsilon shrugged.

"Is that so…?" Mataras grinned. His mask flared to life, and a portal opened in between the two of them. Less than a second later, Leafa, Sinon, and Sachi all popped out of the hole, with the latter two shooting Mataras' old friends at point-blank range.

They leapt back to avoid most of the damage, and Mataras closed the portal before any of the girls' assailants could follow them. "What was that about being outnumbered?" Mataras grinned as he clanked fists with Sachi. They had rehearsed that maneuver during private spar sessions many times, so the portal drop hadn't affected them negatively in any way.

"These clowns giving you a hard time?" Sinon said as she took aim at Theta.

"Not really, but I didn't want to hog all of the excitement for myself," Mataras smirked. "Hey, Theta. If you can dodge three of her shots, I'll give you my Olmak."

"Really?!" Theta said, eyes wide.

_Blam!_ His face was blown off when Sinon's crossbow bolt hit him square in the face, killing his avatar instantly. "No," Mataras said dryly. Looking back at Daniel, who was decidedly nervous, he grinned. "Leafa? Sachi? Care to have at him?"

"You know it!" Leafa grinned as she took to the air.

"I'm in," Sachi nodded as she activated her stealth mask. In response, Delta activated his mask of telepathy, which allowed him to detect the presence of any nearby players. He aimed a zamor sphere launcher at Sachi and fired.

Mataras simply raised an eyebrow as he watched Leafa kick him in the arm from above, causing him to misfire and drop the launcher. Sachi moved in as she let her mask power drop, which startled the male Toa of Air when he realized how close she had gotten. She took advantage of this to stab him with her sword, forcing him back. Leafa pressed forward now, her long blade moving quickly to dance with Delta's twin katana.

Then, just when it seemed that Leafa could finish him off, she jumped into the air and didn't come back down. Daniel watched her go, wondering what she was up to. Only when he looked back down did he see Mataras and Sinon grinning as the Ice Toa fired her weapon.

Once he was gone, Mataras looked up at where Turaga Dume had spoken. The Turaga was nowhere to be seen, and the Red Swordsman narrowed his eyes in suspicion. _If what Litrosh and Yui said is true…_ He looked up at the twin suns, which still shone brightly in the sky. _They may not be shining for very long…_

* * *

Kirito, Klein, and Asuna were forced to deal with two Hordika with ridiculous reflexes. Klein and Kirito mostly used swordplay in combat, though Kirito was not against using his shadow powers to gain the upper hand. But the Hordika were more resilient than they were by nature, so it was only by advantage of numbers that they were being kept at bay.

"Klein, you might want to use your fire now," Kirito grunted as he used his twin swords to force back the Stone Hordika. Of the six Hordika races, much like of the regular Toa, the stone familiars were the strongest by nature.

"No way," Klein grunted. "I keep my word. And I don't need fire to beat back this sucker!" He moved his sword quickly to hack and slash at his opponent, a water Hordika. Asuna joined him, her rapier striking the gaps in her armor at great speed.

The response was a geyser that shot them both upward, sprouted from a rhotuka spinner. Asuna used her own elemental power to freeze the water and slide down the ramp that resulted from the combined elements. Klein was not quite so graceful, but he managed to avoid serious harm from the fall.

His blade came up just in time while he was on his back to block a murderous swing from the water Hordika. Asuna took advantage of this to swoop in and stab the half-beast avatar through the neck and killing the opponent. Kirito's enemy was distracted for a second, and he too used this to his advantage. Lashing out in wide arcs, he finally succeeded in cutting his opponent in three pieces, causing them to shatter and leave behind their heart stone.

"Nice work, guys," he gasped. "How many more?"

"We've still got all our guys," Klein said as he scanned the field with his mask of telepathy. "Leafa doesn't look too good, and there's still eight more to deal with from three different teams, but they're fighting each other right now."

"Should we press the advantage or wait for them to beat each other out?" Asuna wondered aloud.

"I'm for jumping in," Kirito grinned. "Sitting out of a fight isn't really my style."

"Of course it's not," Asuna sighed, resigning herself to the inevitable.

"Don't worry about it," Klein grinned. "Mataras and Kirito and I can handle this if you really wanna sit this one out."

"I might take you up on that one," Asuna said gratefully. "Go on- have your fun."

"Thanks, honey," Kirito grinned. "I'll see you when we win that mask."

* * *

The rest of the fight was business as usual. Kirito outpaced his opponents. Klein sped through their defenses. Mataras blew them up. All in all, the tournament lasted about thirty minutes or so.

When the last one had fallen, the party restored their health and elemental powers with potions while Sachi repaired their armor with her Kanohi Kiril. Just as they had finished up with their repairs, Turaga Dume stepped up to the podium again. "Champion Toa," he said. "You have earned your place as the mightiest defenders in Metru Nui. Now, you shall witness the Vahi in all of its glory!" He raised a golden mask high as he concluded his speech.

"Am I the only one that thinks that sounded suspicious?" Mataras said quietly, his mask beginning to glow."

"No kiddin," Klein agreed.

"Kirito…" Asuna said nervously as the Turaga began to place the mask over his own. The players in the crowd seemed to share in her nervousness, for they began to stir and mutter amongst themselves uneasily.

"Now!" the Turaga boomed with a new voice- a voice that sounded like the howling of a tempest, the roar of a rahi, and the rumble of oncoming avalanche. "Embrace the nightfall! For even the Great Spirit shall soon sleep!" And the mask was placed.

Pure power flooded from his being, and the Toa on the Coliseum floor stood their ground as the ground began to shake. The other Toa, the spectators, all began to run in fright as the sky above them darkened. The twin suns began to eclipse as the city seemed to shake around them. Twilight had arrived. "Cowards," Sinon growled.

"That's my line," Mataras said grimly, though he bore a slight smile. As the 'Turaga' unleashed the powers of the mask, his body grew until he was a handsome, armored titan. The only ominous thing about him was another mask that materialized in his hands- a mask of shadows.

The others looked at Kirito, but he still had his own. Which meant- "Across the bounds of time, you have returned to me, Kraakhan," the Makuta rumbled. He held it almost lovingly, admiring the detailed craftsmanship.

"Good thing you have that one!" Mataras shouted to get the AI's attention. As soon as the new boss looked at him, Mataras' own mask, the Olmak, flashed brilliantly, and Makuta was left with a maskless face. In between Mataras' hands appeared the Vahi, radiant in its appearance. "Because now this one is mine!" He quickly added the mask to his inventory, as it was not accepted as an item ready to equip.

"How did you do that?" Litrosh asked as he jetted over from the sidelines, followed by Yui. "I thought that you had to force the person or item you target in through the portal before it could pass through."

"Not once my skill was maxed out," Mataras grinned as Litrosh attached himself to his back. "It only works on items, mind you, but you've got to keep an open mind when it comes to the possibility of combat."

Makuta bellowed angrily and leaped down from above to crash about half a kio away from the assembled Toa, his mask in place. He was now wielding a staff of shadow, and he was very angry.

"All right!" Klein grinned. "Let's take this bastard down and finish this year with a bang! Whose with me?!" The others roared wordlessly and prepared to charge at the final obstacle between them and the completion of their quest.

* * *

**Kirito: All right, on to the boss battle!**

**Mataras: That comes out this Sunday, where I plan to make a very important announcement! (If any of my readers know what is, or want to guess, message me about it, don't make it public!)**

**Asuna: Wow, you;re really trying to keep this one under wraps, aren't you? Must be pretty important.**

**Mataras: Yes, yes it is. No spoilers, you got that?**

**Asuna: I know, I know. Chill out, hothead.**

**Mataras: Sorry, I'm just a bit jumpy about this little surprise in particular. But in any case, I will see you all at the beginning of next week! Until then, good reading and writing to you all!**

**Kirito: Next time- The Year's End.**


	32. The Year's End

**A/N: Well... we didn't hit 300 reviews... But that's is OK! Today was so good, nothing can ruin it! Why?! See at the end, though I'm sure a number of you can already guess what's happening! Enjoy!**

* * *

The Year's End

"You little Toa cannot hope to defeat I, the one who has dethroned the Great Spirit!" Makuta roared, swing his arm and narrowly missing them all with a chain of burning darkness. "When the city rises from the rubble, _I_ will be the Great Leader!" Now that his transformation had been completed, he stood tall, easily three times the size of a Toa Nuva. His armor was fresh and sleek, gleaming brilliantly despite the shadows that he exuded.

"Deceit and self-interest will never be virtues that I bow down to!" Mataras roared back. "By the will of the Great Spirit, Metru Nui's time has only begun!" The team of Toa unleashed their elemental powers at the titan, but he simply batted them away like annoying flies.

"Darken, just as the twin suns have done!" Makuta snarled, blasting at the Moonlit Black Cats with chain lightning this time.

"Whoa!" Sinon shouted as she narrowly missed a blast. "Where'd that come from?!"

"During the height of his power, Makuta Teridex was the master of more than just shadow," Litrosh answered calmly. "When he led the Brotherhood of the Makuta under the banner of Mata Nui, his power and loyalty were so great that he was referred to as Mata Nui's brother. When his heart was consumed by the shadow, however, he lost much of his power."

"He must have used the Vahi to restore his original power," Yui concluded. "He's probably even stronger than the version of him that we fought in the old Kini-Nui quest."

"Even stronger, eh?" Mataras muttered. "Wonderful."

"Course, we've fought harder things than this guy, right?" Kirito grinned. "Remember the Gleam Eyes?"

"Hmm…" Mataras nodded. "Yes, actually. I do…"

"I know that look in his eye," Sachi grinned. "Let 'em rip."

"Kirito, ready?" Mataras said as he looked over at his brother while Makuta raised his staff above his head in a two-handed grip.

"Always!" the Toa of Twilight grinned.

"Switch!" And with the pattern that had been created in the fires of Sword Art Online and refined by the brotherhood the two young men shared, the Black and Red Swordsmen charged. Kirito used his dual blades to block the mighty staff and shove the Makuta back with his mask of strength for assistance.

"Go!" Kirito grunted as he leaped backwards to make room. Mataras' sword lit up with fire as he struck at the armored titan with his weapon. Then the boss got to its feet with surprising swiftness and tried to pummel the fire Toa, but his Calix mask enabled him to dodge the mighty limb.

"Man, that thing's as heavy as one of the Skull Reaper's scythes," Kirito panted. He looked over at his wife with a grin and said, "Care to lend a hand, Asuna?"

"Just waiting on you now," the girl grinned.

"Everyone, agro him to the point that he'll use a physical attack!" Mataras ordered. "That's where Kirito and Asuna need to come in!"

"Litrosh!" Sinon called out. "Help me out!"

"I'm on it!" the red AI nodded and shot off of Mataras' back to attach himself to Sinon. She immediately began shooting at the boss, mostly aiming for his mask in an attempt to remove his power. While the master of shadows was able to block most of the energy, it did cause him to take damage on his armor and distract him from seeing Leafa, and Sachi as they unleashed their own elemental powers. Klein simply used his sword to slash at the armored titan's back, causing him to roar angrily.

He back fisted the samurai and sent him flying halfway across the Coliseum floor. Klein noticed that as he got to his feet, the ground seemed especially unsteady, and it wasn't just from the blow to his mask. "Hey, guys!" he shouted. "I think the ground is-" He was cut off as pillars of stone shot out of the floor, launching him high, as well as several of the others. "-rigged!"

The Toa all activated their flight equipment and floated above the Makuta, who began hurling blasts of lightning, magnetism, sound, and of course shadow. They came so fast and often that it was difficult for the Toa to dodge without colliding with one another.

"Litrosh!" Mataras shouted just as he dodged a sonic blast. "Status report on the boss!"

"Health at four-fifths, elemental power gauge barely depleted, and armor mostly sound!" Litrosh answered a few seconds later.

"Our party is already taking heavy hits," Yui added. "We can't last too much longer!"

"Mataras, maybe we should cut our losses and retreat!" Sachi suggested. "We already have the mask!"

"I can't use it until the quest is completed, I think," Mataras said with a shake of his head. "I tried to use it, but the system won't let me yet. Also, if we leave now, there's no telling how much more damage the boss might do to the map."

"Why does he always have to be right?" Asuna muttered sourly.

"I'm not," Mataras grinned. "Just ask Sinon- she can tell you all about the times that I've been so very wrong."

"Maybe later," Sinon said when the others looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Right now, we have a very angry boss trying to kill us and destroy the virtual world. Anybody have any ideas on how to stop him?"

"A mask of light would really come in handy right now," Klein muttered.

"Give us an idea that has to do with what we have to work with," Mataras shot back. "This is not the time for daydreaming."

"When you and Daddy hit it like you attacked the Gleam Eyes, you seemed to do a lot of damage," Yui suggested.

"He's too good at using distance attacks for us to try that again," Kirito said with a shake of his head. "If we had some kind of opening… Something that would let us get in close to him."

"I've got it!" Sinon shouted as she took aim with her crossbow. "Everybody but Mataras and Kirito! Fire your elemental powers straight at him as hard as you can for as long as you can."

"Sorry, doll, but I don't do magic!" Klein grinned. Before she could shout at him, he raised his sword and said, "But I can definitely draw his fire long enough for you guys to hit him like ya want." And with that, he maximized the power in his jets and started taunting the boss to draw its fire away from everyone else.

"What are Kirito and I doing?!" Mataras asked as the others prepared to launch their abilities. "Please tell me you thought that far ahead!"

"Use the Olmak to get up close and personal!" Sinon shouted back. "We'll keep him busy long enough for you two to get through a portal!"

Mataras and Kirito grinned, and the Red Swordsman said, "Thank you, Sinon." His mask began to glow, and the girls all aimed their weapons simultaneously.

"All right, ladies, let's show him what we've got!" Leafa crowed. "Fire!" Ice, water, and wind all came together and merged into a funnel that contained all the wrath of a blizzard in Ko-Koro's winter solstice. It struck Makuta hard, sending him reeling, and causing his control over the stadium's floor to waver, as well as force him to drop his attack with all of his other powers, much to Klein's relief, who was running very low on health at this point.

Ice was actually forming on the Makuta, so Mataras pushed his concentration even harder. Either that ice might actually hold him long enough for them to deal him some critical damage, or when they got close, he would make the ice explode and spear them with it. Either way, time was of the essence.

The portal appeared, and the brothers rushed through to appear right behind the massive boss. Mataras' sword blazed to life again and he slashed at Makuta's right arm. The sharp heat clashed harshly with the cold that the armor had assimilated and, and the appendage exploded, causing Makuta to howl furiously. He tried to crush Mataras with his staff, but Kirito moved in to successfully intercept the blow.

Black and green fog oozed out of the stump of a limb, but there was no sign of any organic tissue underneath the suit. If this bothered anyone, they chose to ignore it and continue fighting.

From above, the boss was pelted with a maelstrom of elemental forces, and from below, he was wounded again and again by the two swordsmen. With the gap closed and his attention divided, Makuta was done for at this point. Never letting up for a second, the dark foe was finally vanquished by the Toa of Aincrad.

* * *

Mataras smiled as he congratulated his team on their victory. "Well fought, all of you," he said. "Thank you for your efforts."

"Nah, it's cool," Kirito grinned. "It was actually a lot of fun." The others nodded in agreement as they smiled at the fire Toa.

"Warriors of the Great Spirit," said a familiar voice. The group turned in surprise to see Turaga Dume- this time, no imposter- standing before them. "Thank you for your efforts here today. Because of you, this city's people have been saved from a grand catastrophe. True, the damage is great, but we shall rebuild soon enough. What matters most is that the heart of Metru Nui is safe. For that, you have my sincerest gratitude."

"You honor us, Turaga," Mataras said as he bowed from the waist.

"I see that you have retrieved the mask of time from the clutches of Makuta," Dume said when the red Toa straightened up. "May I see it, please?" Mataras handed over the golden mask, albeit reluctantly. After examining it, Dume passed it back to Mataras, much to his relief, and said, "If you have the courage and wisdom to defeat the Makuta of Metru Nui, I think that the mask could not be in safer hands. Take it with you, and use its might to continue defending the Matoran everywhere."

"I will, Turaga," Mataras said with another bow. When he straightened, he donned the mask and smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

Andrew's café was closed down for their private celebration. In attendance were Kazuto, Asuna, Suguha, Ryoutarou, Rika, Keiko, Shino, Michael, and surprisingly, Yui and Litrosh. Kazuto had come in early to set up some cameras in the room that would allow the two AI's to interact with the real world by viewing things through the lenses of the cameras. It wasn't perfect yet, but everyone was definitely impressed by the hard work that Kazuto had put into the project.

"Man, that kid's a genius," Ryoutarou grinned as he watched Kazuto fiddling with some of the settings on his laptop.

"More like he's determined," Michael chuckled. "You don't really think that he's doing all of this just for a school project, do you?"

"Of course not," Suguha giggled. "He's doing it for Yui, of course."

"Hey, everybody!" Silica said excitedly. "The fireworks are about to start!"

"Get the TV going, then!" Asuna said as she looked over at Andrew, who was already on it. Using his remote, he flicked on the TV screen located above the bar to show Tokyo's national New Year's firework show. Kazuto made some last-second adjustments before leaving the laptop to look at the screen next to Asuna.

Michael stood in between them and Shino, his heart ready to stop at any given second. He fingered the small box in his jacket's pocket and nearly passed out.

"Michael?" Shino asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he said a little tightly, feeling like his head was about to implode.

"You sure?" she said, pressing her palm against his head. "You look kinda pale."

"Yeah, well…" he said as he grabbed her hand and lowered it to his chest height. "I, uh…" He realized that this was a very opportune moment, and he might not get another one like this again. "Shino…"

"Michael?" she said with her head cocked. "What's wrong?"

In response, he tried to lower himself onto one knee, but ended up nearly falling flat on his face instead, just barely stopping himself from toppling as Shino gasped audibly and several of the other girls shrieked in surprise.

"What's wrong…" he said with a shaky smile as he pulled out the little box, "…Is that I have no idea if this ring will fit on you or not." Opening the box, he revealed a silver ring with a single diamond in it, twisted elegantly at the setting. "That is… Shino Asada, will you marry me?"

The girl looked like she was going to pass out with a smile on her face, going nearly as pale as her boyfriend had been just a moment ago. "Yes," she managed to say after a few tries. "On one condition." She winked to show that she was being playful- Michael loved it when she did that.

"Name it."

"Tell me your last name," she said with a smile as he slid the ring on. At first, he seemed surprised- then he smiled and nodded. Leaning forward, he whispered so low that nobody else could hear the word. Shino closed her eyes, nodded, pulled his head around, and kissed him for a long, long time.

All around them, their friends cheered, took pictures, and embraced. The countdown concluded, the fireworks shot off, and the year came to a very happy close for the Toa of Aincrad.

* * *

**Kirito: So, was that what it was like when you actually proposed?**

**Mataras: In the moments leading up to the proposal, yeah. I felt like I was going to pass out, and I nearly fell over on my face... Which wouldn't have made the strongest case.**

**Sachi: I'm so happy for you! She's such a wonderful girl!**

**Mataras: Aye, I wanted to release this chapter on the same day that I actually got engaged, so there it is! As of a few hours ago, I am an engaged man, and I couldn't be happier!**

**Asuna: Now remember-**

**Mataras: Asuna, don't even start!**

**Asuna: Sheesh, you're no fun...**

**Mataras: Well, in any case, I apologize for the fact that this chapter is so short, but as you can imagine, I've been rather nervous this past few days, so I wanted to keep this short and sweet. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're all ready for the next- and final- arc; Toa Zekken!**

**Kirito: Next time: Virtually Undefeated!**


	33. Toa Zekken

**A/N: Hello, readers! It's time for the final arc in this story, and I must say, I will be sad to see it go... But who knows? Maybe when the thrid season of SAO comes out, I'll bring it back...? In any case, let's get on with the story, and witness the Moonlit Black Cats return to Aincrad! Please be sure to leave a review with your thoughts and/or questions.**

* * *

Toa Zekken

It was less than a week after Michael and Shino's engagement had taken place, and most of the gang was gathered in Asuna and Kirito's cabin on floor twenty-two of New Aincrad. Mataras and Kirito were both fast asleep on their respective chairs, the Black Swordsman also having Yui asleep on his lap while Litrosh lay in his dragon form on the Red Swordsman's head. Agil, Klein, and Sinon were all busy that night, so they weren't in.

Unlike Yui, the male AI had chosen not to take on a human appearance in New Aincrad, claiming that he felt more comfortable in his old dragon form, which suited Mataras just fine. However, instead of his fully grown form, Litrosh appeared to once again be no larger than the size of a house cat.

Seeing them like that brought back many memories for Asuna, especially with the way that they looked now. Each of the old Sword Art Online survivors had set their new avatars to mostly resemble their real-life appearances, though some of them were a little more different than others.

Kirito, Sachi, and Mataras looked exactly as they did in the real world, right down to their skin tone and hair colors. Asuna, on the other hand, had chosen to make her avatar's hair and eye color different, with her chestnut hair now being stark white and her eyes pale blue like ice over a lake. Sinon was similar, though her short hair was a turquoise blue that matched her eyes. Lisbeth had chosen once again to dye her hair bright pink while Silica remained the same light-haired girl that she was in the real world. Leafa was the only one that still looked totally different in the virtual world than she did in real life. She was a tall, blond girl with slim build apart from her obvious feminine traits, while Suguha was a short girl with dark hair like her cousin's and dark blue eyes.

In New Aincrad, your sword skills and unarmored appearance could be transferred over, but precious little else could. Items automatically went into a locked section of storage as soon as one entered the floating castle that constantly remained in orbit around Karda Nui, the sky island. Skills that had to do with mask and elemental powers were grayed out on the menu and described as unusable by the system whenever one tried to put them on their skill list. This angered some players, but the people that had taken over the maintenance of New Aincrad had remained adamant that they wanted to honor the original spirit of the game, and thus Toa powers would not carry over. In this world, the swordsmen held the power, not users of the elements.

Mataras and the others had no qualms about this, of course, and they had quickly taken their places on the assault team once again. Silica and Lisbeth weren't always present to clear the boss fights, partially because they were not part of any of the guilds like the Moonlit Black Cats or Furinkazan. And thanks to their hard work, Asuna was home again. Her mind flashed back to a conversation with Kazuto and Andrew one week before the Vahi quest and her friends' engagement…

* * *

"Seriously, guys?" Andrew said as he looked at Asuna and Kazuto grinning like a pair of love-struck idiots. "You don't have to come here every time you wanna go on a date. There's way classier places around town."

"Nah, this place has plenty of class," Kazuto grinned. Then he added a trifle maliciously, "Compared to your shop in Algade, anyway." Andrew shot him a glare, but all the boy did was grin back at him.

"Oh, don't listen to him," Asuna said with a more reassuring smile. "I love it here. And your place in Algade had a nice charm to it."

"Come on, he ripped everyone off except me!"

"You can't talk about your friend and his stuff like that!"

"Half that stuff was paper mache! He's practically asking for it!"

"You should be nicer to a guy that let you use his place for free!"

"That's got nothing to with this!"

"Eh-hem!" Andrew coughed. "If y'all are done with your lover's spat, I got somethin' to show ya." He slid them his ipad, which displayed the latest article from MMO Today. The couple's eyes widened as they saw the latest updates coming in. In addition to new sword skills, items and quests, there would be new floors being added to New Aincrad- twenty-one through twenty-four.

"Asuna…" Kazuto said in a low tone.

"Yeah, I know," she nodded. Neither one of them had to explain what the other was thinking- they both knew that their home was waiting for them. The little cabin that they had lived in happily with their daughter for two weeks, before Old Aincrad collapsed, was waiting for them to come home.

"Wait," Kazuto said with a slight frown. "Maybe we shouldn't get our hopes up… I mean, there's been all kinds of changes to New Aincrad… It might not even be there anymore."

"True, but I'm going to hold onto that hope anyways," Asuna declared firmly. "I want our old home back, Kirito, and I'm going to fight to get there first, no matter how hard it is."

Kazuto had smiled softly and laid his hand on hers which caused the girl to blush a bit. "And I'll be right there with you," he said…

* * *

"Sinon, get his attention!" Mataras shouted, his sword humming in a deadly circle as he charged at the massive rock giant. This was the new boss of floor twenty-one, and so far, the party formed to tackle it was taking heavy losses. They had lost half of their number getting it down to the last of its four health bars. But the Moonlit Black Cats and Furinkazan- of which Agil had decided to join- were managing to deal the most damage despite the monster's brutal attacks.

"Sure thing!" the girl replied as she nocked an arrow to her bowstring. In New Aincrad, Mataras' girlfriend had chosen to equip herself with a massive longbow that Lisbeth had forged for her. Taking aim, she drew and fired within the span of heartbeat. The arrow took the boss in the single red eye in the middle of its face, causing it to stagger and stumble back a pace before fixing its gaze on the blue-haired sniper.

Kirito dashed forward, dual blades in hand. He had kept the unique skill with his copied-yet-reset-stats avatar, as had Mataras with his Dragon Blood skill. As a matter of fact, all of the Moonlit Black Cats from Sword Art Online had kept their unique skills with them, though they were not as developed as before. For example, Kirito needed to get the skill up to seven hundred before he could use Starburst Stream again, but her still had a number of powerful attacks up his sleeve that could more than get the job done.

The two swordsmen let out wordless bellows as they hit the boss simultaneously, Mataras slashing at the golem's chest while Kirito attacked its legs. When they finished, Yui called out, "Look out! It's going for a double hammer fist attack!" The young men leapt back just before they were hit thanks to the girl's warning.

"Switch!" they called together, and now Agil and Klein moved up from behind even as Sachi and Asuna hit it from the front. Asuna used lightning speed and precision while Sachi used the other's gaps in attack patterns to pick up the slack. Agil swung his massive axe with brutal power while Klein used long, sweeping attacks with his katana to score multiple hits on the boss.

The giant cyclops-golem monster roared angrily and smashed its fist into the two men before turning to do the same to the girls. "Not so fast!" Mataras shouted as he swung his red blade with all his might to sever the boss' right leg. The thing fell over with a loud crash that reverberated through the cavern and prompted cheers from the other players.

"If he's lost a limb, then he's low on health!" Yui shouted, moving up with her own sword beside her aunt, Leafa. They attacked in unison, trying to keep it pinned down while the others regrouped to attack. Litrosh breathed an explosive bolt of fire at the boss as it tried to rise, which caused it to fall back down.

"All right!" Kirito grinned. "Let's finish it!" Together, he and Asuna rushed it, laying open many, many wounds on the fallen monster. When Kirito's last hit finally landed, the boss glowed and promptly shattered into millions of pieces.

The Cats and their friends didn't even bother waiting around for the 'Congratulations' and item drop notifications. They made a beeline for the newly opened entrance to floor twenty-two, ignoring the calls of victory from the surviving players…

* * *

The others insisted that the couple go on ahead while they triggered the warp gate in the main town. Neither Asuna nor Kirito argued, and they soon took off running with Yui right in between them. It took about twenty minutes, but they followed the pathway, just as they remembered it. And there, waiting for them like they remembered it, was their little log cabin.

Asuna teared up at the sight of their beloved house, and she made a mad dash for the cabin. When they got there, she immediately pulled up the option to purchase the home. When the menu asked for her handprint to confirm the purchase, she hesitated. She looked over at Kirito, who smiled with understanding, He placed his hand over hers, then looked over at their daughter.

"This is your home too, you know," he said. "Wanna help us buy it?" Yui smiled with shining tears in her eyes as she put her tiny hand on her father's and pressed down. The purchase was accepted, and a key materialized in Asuna's hand.

She stepped up onto the verandah and put the key in the lock to open the door. As they stepped in, for a moment, it looked as though all their furniture and everything was still inside, and it was as if they had just come home from a long trip. Then their eyes cleared, and the room was empty.

Still… "I'm home," Asuna cried happily. Kirito put his arms around her and kissed her softly for a moment while Yui wrapped her arms around both of their waists and added herself into the embrace. The long trip was over, they knew. They were finally home, safe and sound…

* * *

The memory ended as Asuna felt someone slump on her shoulder. She giggled softly at Silica, who was now fast asleep. "Hey, wake up," she said as she nudged the younger girl awake. "If you fall asleep here, you'll be up all night."

"I can't help it…" Silica mumbled as she fixed her bleary gaze on Kirito and Mataras. "How am I supposed to stay awake when those two can just conk out like that?"

"They're the masters of the sleep skill," Leafa chuckled.

"Well it took quite a while for Mataras to develop that one," Sachi said with a slight smile. "He used to toss and turn and mutter in his sleep… It's a wonder I slept all that time."

"It's because he made you feel safe, right?" Leafa asked. "Like a big brother."

"Yeah," Sachi nodded, her smile widening a bit. "But I did worry about him a lot. He used to be so grim and serious all the time…"

"Used to be?" Lisbeth snorted. "Have ya met the guy? He's still-"

"Lisbeth…" Asuna said warningly.

"-A kind and caring individual, in his own way," Lisbeth finished quickly before resuming her winter break project.

"That's better," Asuna grinned.

"You didn't know him back when he first joined the Moonlit Black Cats," Sachi elaborated. "He was always either training or meditating, hardly speaking to anyone, including Kirito and me. Thank God that he finally came around… And thank Him for bringing Shino into his life. I've never seen him so happy when she's around."

Lisbeth muttered something unintelligible, but the others ignored her. She wasn't really infatuated with Mataras anymore, but she was still bitter about the way that he had callously broken her heart all that time ago. Asuna knew that Mataras should have let her down easier, but sometimes her friend's tendency to hold grudges could be a little trying.

"Well, I'll make some tea to wake us all up," Asuna decided as she rose. "Any requests?"

"Flower tea?" Sachi asked hopefully. "I remember you did a really good flower tea back in SAO, Asuna."

"You're in luck, then," Asuna winked. "I just got some of the ingredients yesterday afternoon, so I should be able to whip some up in a minute."

"I'll get the water going," Leafa said as she stood and stretched. "Silica, you get the markers."

"What am I getting that for?" the girl asked.

"We're going to teach Big Brother and Mataras why falling asleep while we're around is a bad idea," she giggled. Silica quickly caught on while Sachi simply raised an unseen eyebrow.

The two girls managed to draw a moustache on Kirito without waking him. But when they got to Mataras, Leafa only managed to aim the pen above his forehead when without moving anything other than his mouth, Mataras said a dry voice, "If you want to live long enough to have Asuna's tea, you'll put that back in your inventory this instant." Away went the pen as the two girls pouted.

"You're no fun," Leafa muttered.

"I let you draw on Kirito, didn't I?" came the reply. The whole while, Mataras' eyes stayed closed and his bearing stayed relaxed. "You had fun with that."

"One of these days, we will get you, Mataras…" Leafa vowed.

"When dragons eat grass."

"Don't plant dragons-"

"Correction, then," Mataras said, a slight edge in his voice. "When Litrosh eats grass." The orange dragon raised his head groggily in response to his name being called. "Go back to sleep," Mataras muttered. Litrosh immediately did so, much to his contentment. "And you two? Leave me alone until the tea is ready."

He ignored the tongues undoubtedly stuck at him and went back into his waking dreams state, satisfied that things would be more peaceful for at least ten minutes. Asuna and Sachi shared in a smile, glad that some things would never change.

* * *

A little while later, the tea was ready, and Mataras arose with a stretch and a yawn. "You know, I get why Kazuto is so tired- he's been pulling all-nighters working on his mecha-what's-it," Leafa said as she approached the Red Swordsman with a cup of tea in hand. "But why are you so sleepy?"

"Who said he was the only one pulling all-nighters?" Mataras snorted. "I do most of my writing in the late evening."

"Why's that?" Silica asked curiously. "You don't have school like us, so why don't you do it then?"

"I've taken to practicing martial arts again," Mataras replied with a grin. "I was getting sloppy, so I started training at a dojo with a certain Sensei Omine. He's a very strict instructor, harsh with his punishments, and very scarce with his praise. Few men have held my respect like he has, though."

"This guy must be pretty hardcore," Sachi said as she handed Mataras an extra cup.

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "Even though my class is on winter break right now, I make sure to practice my forms so I don't lose my edge."

"So that's why you were never around for breakfast," Asuna mused. "You were training, weren't you?" Two days ago, Asuna had returned from a trip with her parents to the northern part of Japan. To her surprise, Michael had been invited along by her father.

When she asked him why Michael was going with them, her father had replied to her in lowered tones that he 'would feel more comfortable having one of her friends to look after her after what happened with Sugou'. However, it couldn't be just anybody that could go to their private party- they had to have money and status. Michael had money thanks to the fortune he had inherited from his father, and his reputation as a savior to the Sword Art Online survivors trapped in Element Six Online was well-known by now.

Asuna breathed a sigh of relief as her mind wandered back down memory lane…

* * *

"Miss Yuuki, may I present Shukin Aizawa," an elder gentlemen, one of the butlers serving at the event, said as he approached with a young man with slightly dark skin and black hair. The young man was handsome in appearance, but the smug smile he wore somewhat ruined the effect. He was dressed in the typical suit that could be seen everywhere worn by the men at the gathering.

Asuna smiled a little wanly at the young man, hoping that this wasn't going where she thought it might be. "He has some matters of mutual interest that he would like to discuss with you," the older man continued.

"How does he know that they're mutual?" Michael said as he stepped up to Asuna's side. "Unless he can read her mind, I doubt he knows exactly what Miss Yuuki's plans for the future are." His blunt attitude and flat voice caused the other young man to frown in annoyance.

"And you are…?" Shukin asked.

"I am here in the interests of making sure that Miss Yuuki has an enjoyable stay," Michael replied in the same flat tone. "Which does not entail interacting with young men simply after her family's fortune."

"Are you accusing me of attempting to steal from the Yuuki's?" Shukin said angrily, stepping up to stand nose-to-nose with Michael, who showed no signs of flinching or backing down. "And I asked for your name, low-life."

"Please, gentlemen, there's no need for all this unpleasantness," the butler said nervously. Both young men ignored him.

"A low-life I might be, but I'm not a leech," Michael said, the fire beginning to burn in his dark eyes. "And as for my name… I go by Michael- though some people refer to me as the Toa of Aincrad." The alias was one that newspapers had given him after dubbing him the hero of the twisted VRMMO incidents.

Shukin's eyes widened slightly and he took a half-step back. Asuna hid a smile in the long sleeve of her kimono robe as she saw Mataras beginning to stir inside of the young man beside her. Michael nodded, satisfied, and then said, "Now, off you go. Someone of your status surely has better things to do than mingle with a lowborn like myself." He and Asuna turned on their heels to go, but that last comment had pushed Shukin over the edge.

Picking up the nearest fruit he could find, he threw an orange straight at the back of Michael's head. The Red Swordsman heard the telltale sounds behind him, spun around, caught the fruit and whipped it right back at the thrower. _Thock!_ The boy's eyes were wide as the heavy fruit smacked him straight in the nose, hard enough to make him stumble back and bleed from the struck piece of cartilage.

The adults that were gathered gasped and shouted in shock while the assembled teenagers looked over at Michael, who had a rather smug smile on his face as he straightened his jacket. "Next time you insult a lowlife, make sure they can't do that," he chuckled as he and Asuna walked off to get some refreshments.

Off to the side, Michael noticed Asuna's mother glaring daggers at him. He simply brightened his smile in return, though it was a smile that never reached his eyes. The rest of their visit, no more male heirs to corporations dared to approach Asuna, out of the fear that they would anger her strangely silent companion…

* * *

The memory came to a stop, and Asuna said, "I'm surprised that Sinon was okay with you going on a trip with me like that."

"She trusts me," Mataras said simply. "Something for which I am always grateful. Besides, if Kirito was okay with it, what did she have to worry about?"

"That's true," the Black Swordsman grinned. "Thanks again for keepin' all those creeps away from her, Mataras."

"Anytime," Mataras chuckled as he cracked fists with his 'brother'. "It was actually kind of fun, believe it or not." He sipped his tea and smiled even brighter. "This is just like back in the day," he said. "Thank you, Asuna."

"Sure thing," the girl smiled.

"Hey, Mataras?" Lisbeth said in a neutral tone.

"What's happening?" he replied, slightly prepared to be on the defensive.

"Are you gonna challenge Zekken?" the pinkette asked with her head cocked.

"Hmm…" Mataras said with his chin on his fist. "I haven't decided yet. Today wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement…"

"What's Zekken?" Asuna asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"The correct question would be _who_ is Zekken," Leafa said as she sat back down. "And the answer is, the only undefeated fighter in New Aincrad who takes on fighters every single day at any time."

"What?" Asuna gasped.

"Yeah, Zekken isn't even their real handle- it's more like a title people gave them," Sachi added. "It means 'absolute sword' or 'ultimate sword."

"But… Isn't Mataras undefeated?" Asuna said as she looked at the Red Swordsman, who was still in thought.

"If I go up against Zekken, I might not be," Mataras said flatly. "She's got a unique skill that after seeing in action, I don't know if even my skill could defeat her."

"A new unique skill?!" Asuna gasped.

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "It's unknown what the name is, but the effect is this: if they can land a certain number of hits on you- I don't know the exact number- you become instantly sealed in place. It's unknown how long the effect lasts, but nobody has lived long enough to find out how long it takes to lose the condition."

"Is it paralysis?" Asuna asked curiously.

"We don't know, but somehow it seems stronger than that," Silica said.

"What do you mean?"

"You know how paralysis lets you move your mouth and a random limb somewhat?" Sachi said. "Well, this skill seems to go beyond even that- the victims can't move at all."

"But how hard is it to block Zekken's attacks?" Asuna said.

"Leafa lost to him," Mataras said dryly. "Followed by Kirito."

"Wha-?" Asuna gaped as she looked over at Kirito, who shrugged indifferently.

"It was bound to happen eventually," he said. "It's not that big a deal."

"Why not?" Asuna was surprised at his lack of depression. When he had lost to Heathcliff, he had sulked about it for the better part of two days.

"He wasn't using his dual-wielding," Mataras smirked. "Which is one reason why I'm still considering going up against Zekken myself. Even if my brother doesn't want to give it his all, I won't hold back if I choose to fight."

"What about you, Sachi?" Asuna asked. "Your avatar is pretty well-rounded, right? You should have a shot at Zekken."

"I don't really like to go looking for fights," Sachi grinned timidly. "As a matter of fact, I was actually hoping that you might fight Zekken, Asuna."

"Why me?" Asuna questioned.

"You have the best speed stat out of any of us," Mataras answered. "And Zekken's greatest asset is their speed. They even use a slim sword like yours, maybe a tad bit thicker."

"But you're unpredictable with your style," Asuna protested.

"Tell you what," Mataras grinned. "If you lose to Zekken, then I'll fight to avenge you. If not, I'll just be fighting to protect my stupid reputation as the best swordsman in the virtual world."

"You think your reputation is stupid?" Kirito said with a raised eyebrow.

"You know I don't care what strangers think of me," Mataras shrugged.

"Touché," Kirito nodded. "So Asuna, what do you think? Do you wanna have a crack at Zekken, too?"

"Well…" Asuna thought about it. It had been a while since she'd had a good player duel… It might be fun, even if she did lose. "Sure," she grinned. "Why not?"

"Cool," Leafa grinned. "Which avatar are you gonna use? This one, or the one based on your Toa of Air account?"

"This one," Asuna decided. "My skills and stats are more developed in this body, so…"

"Sounds good," Mataras chuckled. "I look forward to seeing the Lightning Flash back in action. That'll be a real treat."

"What, seeing me fighting wasn't?" Kirito said, feigning hurt.

"Not really- you were obviously holding back."

"I was not!"

"You weren't using your best skill!"

"Doesn't mean I held back!"

Sachi and Asuna sighed heavily as they watched the two black-haired young men bicker back and forth. _Just like old times…_

* * *

**Sinon: Well, that was cool, getting to see the Kirigaya's go home like that. But can you seriously not make it through one chapter without fighting someone?!**

**Mataras: Yes. ...No, of course not. I fight people, that's my thing, I'm the Red Swordsman.**

**Sinon: You need help.**

**Mataras: I know.**

**Sinon: So do something about it!**

**Mataras: What, right now?!**

**Sinon: Yes!**

**Mataras: Or else what?**

**Sinon: Or I shoot you where the sun doesn't shine.**

**Mataras: You do realize that I posses the Olmak and the Vahi now, right? even without a mask of time- or any mask at all- you can;t hit me unless I let you. You know that.**

**Sinon: Yeah, yeah... Well, in any case, I guess we should say goodbye to our readers for now.**

**Mataras: Aye, we hope you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review or message me if you have any questions, and I hope you'll be back for the next chapter, where we'll see a little more Black Lightning and Red Bullet moments!**


	34. The Swordswoman

**A/N: Okay, I meant to put this up a few days ago, but I had to keep tweaking it in order to lay out the groundwork for later chapters... Sorry about that. In any case, you all know the drill by now- read, enjoy, review!**

**Link, start!**

* * *

The Swordswoman

Asuna sighed to herself as she walked down the path to the tree where Zekken was supposed to await challengers. Her mother had been getting on her case about her choice to remain in the school designed for SAO survivors, and it was getting worse. She was practically demanding that she transfer schools by this point in time.

Of course, Asuna knew the main reason- or rather _reasons_\- that her mother wanted her to move away from her current school. The first was obvious enough: Michael had caused suitors from other high-ranking Japanese families to shy away from her, which her mother viewed as detrimental to her career. No matter how many times she tried to tell her, Asuna's mother could not seem to understand that a successful career and money would not make her happy- only Kazuto Kirigaya could do that.

Which led her to the second sore point between her and her mother. Kyouko Yuuki had paid an investigator to profile Kazuto, and her opinion of the Black Swordsman was not a favorable one. It was obvious that her mother and she would come to a head sooner or later, but right now, Asuna just wanted to spend time with her friends. Real life could wait for right now.

"Why the long face?"

The Red Swordsman's voice startled the girl, who was still wrapped up in her thoughts. Looking behind her, she stopped to let Mataras come stand next to her. His equipment resembled that of his clothing from Old Aincrad, except that instead of a long-tailed red jacket, he wore a red cloak that had a cowl on it.

"Oh, hey Mataras," Asuna said as he stopped to face her. "Not much… Just some… IRL stuff. You know how it is."

"Your mother?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," she admitted glumly.

"Is it anything we need to be concerned about?" he asked as he resumed walking, gesturing for her to follow him.

She did so, saying, "Well… She wants me to transfer schools… And she's not too happy with dad for letting you escort me the other day."

"So I'm just a troublemaker, is that it?" Mataras grinned. "Good. I like making trouble for fools and would-be superiors."

"Matras, watch it," Asuna said warningly. "She might be narrow-minded, but she's still my mother. That means I have to respect her."

"Hmph," Mataras shrugged. "I don't hold respect for people simply because they've been around the sun more times than I have. I respect them based on their accomplishments and how they treat others."

"Maybe that's just because you never-" Asuna stopped herself mid-sentence. She looked at Mataras with stricken horror as he stopped walking and set his mouth in a thin line.

"Go on and say it," he muttered tightly. "I never learned proper manners from my parents. I was too busy taking care of my little sister in an orphanage to learn how to make nice with my elders."

"Mataras, I'm sor-"

"Don't be," he shrugged, his face relaxing a bit. "Neither you or I had any control in who our parents were. All we can do is advise each other based on how we were raised. You've heard my opinion- make of it what you will."

"I will," Asuna said after a silent moment. Then; "Where are the other Cats?"

"They went ahead to watch the first few challengers," Mataras replied. "I'm late logging in because I got caught up in my writing."

"Figures they'd go ahead of us," Asuna grinned.

"That has Kirito written all over it," Mataras chuckled. "Come on. Let's go before the allotted time runs out or Zekken gets bored." As they began to run, Asuna was struck by another question.

"Hey, I saw that some people on the blog were calling this person 'Toa' Zekken," she said as they ran over a hill. "Why is that?"

"Their reflexes seem almost too fast for this game," Mataras replied over his shoulder. "Some people took to calling them 'Toa' because that's how good their reaction time is."

"Really?!" Asuna gasped.

"That's not all," Mataras added almost as an afterthought. "Do you remember how Kayaba told us that Dual-Wielding was awarded to the player with the best reaction time? Well, Kirito told me that if Zekken had been in Sword Art Online, they would have received the skill instead of him."

"Wha-?! Are you serious?!" Asuna nearly shouted.

"Kirito was," Mataras nodded. "But I think he's wrong. This Zekken person feels more like they're searching for something rather than fighting for it. Kirito fought for what mattered to him, not out of idle curiosity. If it really came down to it in a real-life duel, Kirito would win. He always does."

"That's true, I guess," Asuna said. "But why does everyone want to fight Zekken so badly? What's to gain?"

"Do you remember how the latest update allows you to pass on skills to another player instantly, so long as they have the right prerequisite stats?" When Asuna answered that she did, Mataras continued, "Well, for whatever reason, Zekken is offering their unique skill out as the prize. They're also promising to reveal what the prerequisite criteria is." Before Asuna could say anything in response, Mataras pointed ahead and to his left while still running. Asuna looked in the indicated direction to see a small island with a single, massive tree. Once, a field boss had appeared in the waters around the little spit of land, but so far no such monster had emerged.

On the island, more than fifty players were gathered. Although she couldn't make out the details of the avatars yet, it was easy to spot her friends. They were in a smaller cluster gathered near the edge of the ring of people, Kirito's trademark black sticking out like a sore thumb in the gathering of paler colors that were normal for a player in this game. Next to him were Sachi, Sinon, Leafa, Lisbeth, and Silica. Litrosh was perched on Yui's head, who was riding on Kirito's shoulders, watching the battle eagerly.

* * *

Mataras seemed eager to get there soon, for he redoubled his speed and took off, forcing Asuna to do the same in order to avoid getting left behind. They reached the island upon the conclusion of the duel, in which a short man with red-brown hair resigned before he was killed.

As he walked off in defeat and the crowd sheered on the winner, Asuna noticed something out of place. When she had imagined Zekken, she had imagined a tall, brooding character, dressed in dark armor, topped with a helmet and visor that would no doubt hide his scowling features.

What she saw instead was a girl a little shorter and younger than herself with a big smile and bright red eyes. Her hair was dark purple and fell down to her waist, the color matching the combat skirt she wore. A single, slim sword rested on her waist as she struck a victory pose.

"Uh… Did Zekken just lose?" she asked as she looked at the man walking away. Mataras suddenly burst into laughter, something quite rare for him even now, so Asuna looked askance at him as she said, "What?! What's so funny?"

"That _is_ Zekken," Mataras chuckled as he tried to regain his composure. He pointed at the girl, who was now inviting the next challenger to step up. "Did you assume that all master sword users were men?"

"No!" Asuna snapped, within an ace of showing Mataras what a master swordswoman looked like. "Just… Nobody told me!"

"Didn't they?" Mataras shrugged. "Oh well. What difference does it make? She's there. Go fight her."

"Wait…" Asuna said suspiciously. "Did Kirito go easy on her because she's a girl?"

"Probably," Mataras nodded. "Like I said, he was going at full power- but only with one sword. Had he been using his dual-wielding, I'm certain that he could have won."

"Well… In that case, I'd better equip Sonic Blade," Asuna said as she manipulated her menu to rearrange some of her skills. "Otherwise I'll end up like him."

"Probably," Mataras grinned. "Oei, Kirito! Why didn't you wait for us?!"

"Huh?" the Black Swordsman said as he turned to see his wife and best friend approaching. "Oh, hey guys. Guess who just decided to go up?" Yui scrambled off of his shoulders, disgruntling Litrosh, who flew onto Mataras' shoulder while she all but tackled her mother in greeting.

"Wait, what?" Mataras said as he scanned the group for the missing member. "Where did Sachi go…?"

"Hi, Honey, nice to see you too," Sinon said as she walked up and kissed her fiancée on the lips for a second before turning to greet Asuna.

"Sorry, Sinon," Mataras muttered sheepishly. "But did Kirito mean…"

"Hey there!" They all turned to see Sachi approaching Zekken, who was waving in a friendly manner. "You my next challenger?" Zekken's voice was light and full of energy, like a songbird in spring.

"Yes, ma'am," Sachi said quietly.

"Nah, don't be so formal!" the other girl grinned brightly. "Let's just have us some fun, okay? Ready to fight?"

"I am," Sachi said firmly as she waited for Zekken to initiate the challenge. The purple-haired girl nodded and sent her the duel request. Sachi immediately accepted and drew her sword, the Lunar Defender. Zekken drew her own blade, a sword similar in color to her hair and outfit, and not unlike the lambent light that Asuna had once carried.

"Aw…" Asuna sighed. "I wanted to fight Zekken."

"You'll get your chance soon enough," Kirito said with a grin before thinking it through. "Zekken will beat Sachi in no-" Mataras slammed his fist down on Kirito's head hard enough to make him drop on the ground, stunned.

"Don't count her out of the fight," Mataras said calmly, his gaze fixed on his sister as she took her ready position. "I trained her, after all. And Litrosh, if Lisbeth says _anything_ disparaging about Sachi, light her on fire." The blacksmith's jaw snapped shut before she said something that she would regret.

* * *

Sachi looked down with interest at the name presented to her on the challenger's window. _Yuuki_, she thought with surprise. _I wonder if she's related to Asuna somehow…?_ Shaking off the thought, she accepted the challenge and stepped back into position.

She whirled her sword into position, her body trembling slightly as she faced down her opponent. She was nervous of course, but Mataras had always stressed that being nervous was not a bad thing in it of itself. It would make your reaction time even sharper once you got used to it, he had told her long ago. And living in Aincrad had done that, if nothing else.

She remembered the first time that he had addressed the issue with her- not far from this tree, actually. He was teaching her near the massive lake on how to breathe properly in order to hone her accuracy when landing a sword blow. "I'm sorry, Mataras, but I just keep freezing up," she had said dejectedly. "I just keep imagining what will happen when a monster hits me and I die."

"Good," he had said, which startled her a bit. Looking up at her mentor, who was looking out over the water at some fish that were leaping above the surface. "Keep in mind what is at stake here, Sachi. Game over in here means that we never arise again in the real world. If you ever forget that, you'll lose sight of why we are fighting to get out of here.

"Keep that fear in perspective- make it a driving force. Let that trembling in your muscles become a vibration that keeps your body keyed up, ready for whatever may come. Your fear does not have to be an enemy, same as my rage." He turned to look at her with fire in his dark eyes as he finished, "The difference between a sword master and child at play is that the warrior learns to use his or her weaknesses to their advantage."

_My fear is my strength_, she thought to herself. _Brother taught me to master it, to use it for my own purpose. This fight is my chance to show him that everything he ever taught me has stayed with me, even now…_

The timer went off, and Sachi opened her eyes to see Zekken waiting with a confident smirk- not unlike the ones that Mataras used to flash his own opponents right before he thrashed them. The sight only served to set Sachi's heart racing faster as she leaped forward, sword levelled to stab Zekken through the middle.

Zekken flicked her own sword across her chest to deflect the blade at the last second with lightning speed. She followed this by whirling her body around and slashing at Sachi's back to try and strike at her as she went past.

But Sachi had been trained in a hard school, and since New Aincrad was skill-based instead of level-based like the old one, attack stats did not determine everything that happened in a fight. And even though her attack had been successfully deflected, her Pure Heart skill prevented any recoil effects from paralyzing her in place.

She stabbed her sword into the ground and used it to vault over Zekken's attack from behind. She landed and spun back around immediately to lock swords with a very surprised opponent. "Whoa!" Zekken gasped in surprise. "Where'd ya learn how to that?"

"Beat me and I'll show you," Sachi replied, feigning a confidence that she did not feel. Another thing that Mataras had told her: if your opponent thinks that you're confident, they'll have to at least second-guess themselves at some level.

"Alright, but you asked for it!" Zekken grinned as she leaped back. Sachi gave chase, a pale blue light enveloping her sword in preparation for a quadruple pain attack, a skill that Asuna had helped her develop. However, once again, it had been Mataras' suggestion for her to learn the move.

"Speed is the biggest deciding factor in a fight if you think about it," he had said. "No matter how hard you could stab somebody, if you cannot catch them, you cannot defeat them." And quadruple pain was one of Asuna's fastest one-handed sword skills, so Sachi had worked hard to attain it.

Her sword began to move almost of its own will as she stabbed again, again, again, and again, almost too fast for those watching to see. Zekken's eyes widened as she was forced back by the intense speed as to avoid being skewered repeatedly. She seemed to be wondering why Sachi wasn't being stopped by the system because her attacks were missing, but it was clear that it wasn't going to stop her, either. He crowd was cheering delightedly- it had been sometime since they'd seen Zekken forced to fight this hard.

Finally, the last two of Sachi's attacks struck home, and Zekken's health was drained by about one-sixth. Her eyes widened briefly, then narrowed with a feral grin. Then Sachi learned what Zekken's reputation was all about. The attacks came from everywhere almost at the same time- almost before one hit had been scored or deflected, another was already making contact.

As Sachi desperately tried to predict the pattern of attack, she also remained of a single pair of eyes on her, watching as she put what she knew to the test. _This is not your best,_ she could almost hear him saying gently. _So show them what your best is._

Sachi upped her game, letting the shaking in her virtual muscles keep her loose instead of locking her up in place with fear. She attacked relentlessly, and Zekken's eyes lit up with delight. Her sword lit up with a bright purple hue, and somehow, Sachi sensed that this was one of the attacks granted by Zekken's unique skill.

_She's going to try to lock me in place,_ she thought tiredly. Preparing herself for the oncoming onslaught, she shoved Zekken back and took a defensive stance just in time. The attack came even faster than anything that her opponent had used so far, no small feat. Sachi's defenses were overwhelmed, more than half of the blows landing and draining her health down to the red zone before it stopped.

Zekken grinned and said, "Sorry, girlfriend, but since ya can't move, ya might as well- urk!" She was cut off in shock as Sachi leaped forward and quickly lay into her with six strokes that drained her health down to yellow, almost red.

Finally locking blades with Zekken again, Sachi looked at her opponent with eyes of dark blue steel and shoved her back even as she grabbed the other girl's forearm to keep their blades locked. A clarion war cry sprang from her mouth as she pushed harder and harder against the mighty sword fighter. Zekken finally recovered from her shock and let loose a shout of her own and tried to shove back, but Sachi already had the momentum working in her favor.

"You're… going… _down_!" Sachi shouted as she forced her opponent up to the water's edge. One more shove, and Zekken would have gone in.

_Would_ have. At the last second, the purple-haired girl grinned and suddenly stopped fighting back. Sachi pitched forward without any support, and the water rushed up to meet her.

* * *

A hand shot out of a red cloak and caught her up and out of the fall, heaving her back onto dry land. "Right then, that's enough," a familiar voice said. Sachi looked up at Mataras, who was staring down Zekken.

"Hey, you can't interfere with the duel!" the other girl cried in protest.

"First of all, I'll do as I please, and second of all, I didn't," Mataras shot back. "The duel would have been over the moment she was forced off of the field. I don't like watching people fall in front of me, even virtually. So excuse me, but I think I'll save her the trouble of coming ashore herself. You win nonetheless, so why should you care?"

"Cos that's not how it's supposed to work!" Zekken fumed. "If you lose without forfeiting, you have to suffer the consequences! That's how the game works!"

"Don't talk to me about consequences," Mataras said in a dangerously low voice. "I was there when the consequences of this world were laid out in the most naked of terms." The crowd around them began to murmur in anticipation, some of the beginning to have the suspicion that Sachi and Mataras were not just hardcore gamers.

"Whatcha mean by that?" Zekken asked with a cocked head.

"This is New Aincrad," Mataras said vaguely. "This is what Sword Art Online should have been." Several of the players began talking even more. The mention of the death game was almost a taboo among gamers nowadays, even according to some of the survivors that just wanted to forget what had happened.

Mataras ignored them and said, "When you have looked death in the face and then been spared, you can tell me what I may or may not do, Zekken. Until then, I shall continue to play by the rules I have lived by ever since I began the death game."

"You're a… Zekken gasped. Mataras' silent nod was her only reply, as even the players around them had gone quiet in anticipation of his answer. "And she…" Zekken pointed at Sachi, whereupon Mataras nodded again. "Then… she really is what I've been lookin' for!"

"Wait, what?!" Sachi said, confused. Mataras also seemed surprised by the statement, for both of his eyebrows were raised.

"C'mon, girl, we both know you got the stuff!" Zekken giggled as she ran up while sheathing her sword. "I haven't fought that hard since I've been in this game! You're totally the one I've been looking for!"

"But…" Sachi said timidly, "This is the guy that taught me everything I know. He's much better than me, and there was actually somebody else that wanted to fight you, too. She's also really good."

"But you gave it your best, and I think Zekken can see that," Mataras said as he placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder. "Let's at least hear what she has in mind." He switched his gaze back to the undefeated swordswoman and said, "Do you object if I accompany my sister with you? I think that there is more to this little display of yours than a reward, am I right?"

"You're sharp," Zekken grinned slightly. "Fine, I'll let you tag along, but nobody else gets to come, ya got it?"

"Understood," Mataras nodded.

"All right people, show's over!" Zekken said to the onlookers. "Go home!" Many of the players began walking away dejectedly, some of them disappointed that there were to be no more exciting matches, and others because they had lost their chance to fight for the prize themselves.

The only ones that didn't leave were the Moonlit Black Cats, Silica, and Lisbeth. "Don't worry about us," Mataras said when they didn't move. "We'll fill you in later, all right?"

"As long as you do," Sinon nodded as they began to walk past.

As they left, Mataras stopped only one person by grabbing their arm. "Kirito," he said in a low voice. "I think I understand what you meant now. About Zekken being full-time in this world."

"Yeah," he nodded. "I don't know any other way for reflexes like those to develop in this world. I mean, it's how we got there, so I figured-"

"We'll talk more about it later," Mataras cut him off as he noticed Zekken getting impatient. "I'll see you for dinner?"

"You know it," Kirito grinned as he bumped fists with his brother. "Later, man."

Mataras turned back to Zekken with his arms folded and remained silent. It was Sachi who asked, "So, why did you want everybody to leave? What do you need from me?"

"We need help, and a person that's been through this game before is perfect for what we need," Zekken replied excitedly. "Let's start with some introductions. Hi, my name's Yuuki, and I saw that you're Sachi, right?" When the girl nodded, Yuuki turned to Mataras and said, "So who's the tall and scary guy?"

"He's my brother," Sachi said easily, the introduction more than familiar by now. "His name is Mataras."

"Mataras, huh…?" Yuuki said in thought. "I think I've heard that name before… Oh wait, where am I getting?! Come on, you need to meet everyone else, too! I'll explain everything when we get there!"

"Get where?" Sachi asked right before Yuuki pulled out a pair of teleport crystals.

"Sorry, Mataras, you'll have to use one of your own, cos I only planned on bringing one person with me," she said hurriedly. "We're going to Taft!"

Her words checked Mataras and Sachi like a physical blow, both of them freezing in place at the mention of that name. They both held their crystals so tightly, it was a wonder that they did not shatter. "T-Taft?" Sachi said hoarsely.

"That… is not a good idea," Mataras said tightly.

"What, why not?" Yuuki said, very confused by their reactions. "That's where my rendezvous is supposed to be. There's this really nice little bar there, and-"

"Trust us, we know," Mataras said, a little more in control of himself at this point. "But going to that town, that bar in particular, is not in the cards for Sachi or me."

"Why's that?" Yuuki pried. "Bad blood with a guild there or something?"

"Something like that," Mataras nodded.

"Well… Okay, I guess not really my business anyways," Yuuki said as she pulled up her menu and began typing a message out. "Where should we go, then?"

"Mataras and I own a house on the second floor with a nice view of the sky," Sachi suggested. "It usually has over a half-dozen guests, so if we're gonna meet somebody else, there should be more than enough room there."

"Okay, cool!" Yuuki grinned. She finished typing her message and then thrust the blue crystal overhead. "Teleport, Yoza!" As she faded away, Sachi and Mataras shared a sad look. It was the one unspoken taboo of the three original Cats- none of them ever wanted to set foot in Taft again. In fact, if it had been the town where the main warp gate was located, none of them would have participated in unlocking the eleventh floor in order to avoid it.

None of them wanted to return to the place where they had spent their days with their dead comrades.

* * *

**Asuna: Hey, wait a second! I was supposed to be the one that fought Zekken! What's going on?!**

**Mataras: Relax, I'm not leaving you out again. I've just got a different idea on how things ought to proceed in this story.**

**Asuna: But how am I gonna deal with my mother?**

**Mataras: Like I said, you're still in for the story, but the path will be paved a little differently than people are used to- something I've found I tend to surprise people with.**

**Sachi: You got that right. But I think some of our readers were wanting to see a little more of the Red Bullet than that.**

**Mataras: Seriously, must you all second-guess my every move?! I keep telling you I have this in hand, so I do!**

**Sachi: Hehe, careful, Brother. You don't want to hurt yourself before the big day.**

**Mataras: That's still a ways off! Why are you bringing it up now?!**

**Asuna: Because you're easy to rile up.**

**Mataras: I AM NO- Okay, yes, I am. But you know what I can do that you can't?**

**Asuna/Sachi: What?**

**Mataras: End this segment!**


	35. The Guild That Waited

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry to make you wait so long! So much has been happening lately- I got sick, I have a second job, I might be getting a third one... To put it bluntly, I am a very busy person. But I will never stop writing for you guys, because you are all AWESOME, and I love hearing from you whether it's about my writing or not! Now, for the part you really want- read, enjoy, and review!**

* * *

The Guild That Waited

"Wassup, guys?" Yuuki called cheerfully as they walked down the street to see a group of five other players gathered in front of Mataras' and Sachi's house. The five players- two girls and three boys- all waved back cheerfully. As soon as they got close enough, Yuuki stepped to the side and said, "Meet our host! This is Miss Sachi." She clapped the blue-haired girl on the shoulder with a bright smile as Sachi waved shyly to everyone else.

"Just Sachi is fine," she said softly.

"Hey there, Sachi," a boy with orange-red hair said as he smiled. "My name is Jun. How ya doing?"

Next was a boy with yellow-green hair and glasses. He seemed even more nervous than Sachi, avoiding eye contact as he stuttered, "H-Hi, Miss S-Sachi. I-I'm Talken, and-"

"Seriously, Tal, you need to work on your approach," a girl with brown hair that was held up said as she grinned confidently at her uneasy friend. "Every time you talk to a girl, you turn into a blubbering mess." Turning to Sachi, she said, "Anyways, I'm Nori- nice to meet you."

"And my name is Siune," a girl with long, flowing, pale blue hair said with a soft voice and welcoming smile. "It's so nice to meet you- and thank you for agreeing to meet with us!"

The last member, a tall young man of bulky build with yellow hair said, "I'm Tecchi. It's a pleasure to meet you." Of the five players, he seemed the most relaxed and at ease, for his voice and demeanor were calm and smooth.

"And I'm Yuuki!" the girl formerly known as Zekken declared as she grabbed Sachi's hands in a friendly gesture. "The leader of this guild- the Sleeping Knights! Kinda, sorta…" Her face became more serious as she said, "Look, Miss Sachi… Don't laugh at us, but… We wanna be the only ones to beat the next boss- and we want you to help us!"

"Uh…?" Sachi said at first. Then: "Wait, what?!"

Her companion coughed to interject as he said, "If anybody cares to know, my name is Mataras, and I'm Sachi's brother. Good afternoon to you all."

* * *

Later, once everyone was settled in the living room with a drink, Sachi said, "You do know that usually, a boss raid is made up of seven parties with seven members each? Just under fifty players."

"Yeah, we know," Yuuki grinned lightly. "We tried to take on the bosses on floors twenty-five and six before. And if you ask me, we put up a good fight. But both times, a big guild would come in and finish things before we could."

"Wait, you mean, just you six?" Sachi gasped. "That's insane!"

"Not really, if you think about it," Mataras called from the couch he sat on in the adjacent room. As he hadn't been officially invited, he had elected to sit away from the main group. "You've seen worse odds than that succeed, Sachi."

"What's he talkin' about?" Nori asked as she looked over her shoulder at the young man in red, who was reading an article from MMO Today.

Sachi flinched as she recalled the memory he was referring to. "He and Kirito had tag-teamed the boss on floor seventy-four of Old Ancraid using their unique skills for the first time in public," she explained. "The stunt had worked, but it had nearly killed Kirito in the process, not to mention put Mataras' life in grave danger as well."

"Wait, you guys used to be front-liners from SAO?" Siune gasped.

"Well, Brother and Kirito more than me," Sachi admitted. "Mataras possesses a unique ability called Dragon Blood, which lets him have complete freedom in his movements while maintaining standard D.P.S. Kirito, the leader of our guild the Moonlit Black Cats can use two swords at once with his Dual-Wielding skill."

"Wait, you're part of a guild?!" Yuuki said as her eyes widened.

"Yes," Mataras called out again, without looking up. "Problem?"

"Well, the thing is…" Siune said glumly. "We were hoping to do this without another guild's assistance. See, on the Wall of Fame, whoever defeats the boss on each floor has their names inscribed forever on it. But if more than one party is involved, only the names of the party leaders are put up. And we wanted to have a slot just for our guild…"

"Well… I'm sure you really don't need my help," Sachi said as the others suddenly appeared to be rather glum as well. "I'm sure that someday you can all make it up there."

"That's part of the problem," Tecchi said heavily.

"We only have until this coming spring to have adventures together," Nori said with a slight smile, though it was much less brilliant than her earlier, upbeat grin. "After that, most of us won't be able to play VRMMO's anymore."

"After this March or so, the guild will be disbanded," Yuuki finished. "All of that waiting for nothing…"

The Sleeping Knights missed what happened next, so they did not understand its significance. But Sachi, with a clear view of her brother, saw him look up from his paper for a moment and meet her gaze. And with that single look, both of them knew what the other was thinking. Such was the nature of the bond that they had nurtured the virtual hell that had been Sword Art Online.

Had they been in the real world, or back in SAO, they might have asked why the guild would soon be disbanded. But in the virtual world they were in now, such an action would be taboo, even for them, so only one option remained open to seasoned veterans such as they.

"We'll help you," Sachi said firmly. The others looked at her in surprise- it was the first time that they had heard Sachi speak so decisively. However…

"But, we can't accept your help," Siune said tentatively. "Our names wouldn't-"

"Your names won't go up on that wall unless you step up your game," Mataras said as he strode into the room. "Sachi isn't saying that we'll go into the boss room with you. She's saying that we'll help you become players that would put the old Assault Team from Sword Art Online to shame."

The Sleeping Knights were all intrigued by the Red Swordsman's words, but remained cautious. "What do you mean by that?" Jun asked with his arms crossed. "Are you saying we're not good enough to tackle the boss on our own? Cos we already figured that out."

"That's why I was out looking for a worthy opponent," Yuuki chimed in. "To find someone that could help us."

"Well, you've found a whole guild that'll help you," Sachi said with a reassuring smile.

Mataras also smiled, but his expression unsettled the others a little. It especially didn't help when he equipped his sword and said, "Welcome to 'Beating Aincrad 101'. Professor Mataras at your service."

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Kazuto said as he helped Michael put away some of the dishes used in their dinner. In the living room were Shino and Suguha. "We don't have to help them if you don't want to, you know. I don't have a problem with it, but I wouldn't have figured that you'd be the type to help those guys out."

Michael nodded, knowing why his friend would say that. It wasn't in his normal pattern of behavior to freely offer assistance to other players outside his normal social circle. However, in this case… "They remind me of us," he said simply.

"Huh?" Kazuto said, confused.

"Us," Mataras repeated, looking off into the distance, through the falling snow outside his kitchen window. "The Moonlit Black Cats. Or rather, the original Cats, back in the day."

Kazuto stopped where he was and looked over at his friend intensely. Michael never brought up people that had passed away without a good reason, and now his curiosity was fully aroused.

The young man sighed and said, "I feel as though just as New Aincrad is what Sword Art Online was supposed to be, the Sleeping Knights are what the Moonlit Black Cats could have been. A group of friends with complete and utter faith in one another."

"We do trust one another, though," Kazuto said, his voice a little hard.

"I know, but we underwent great losses before we all trusted each other completely," Michael shot back, dark fire burning in his eyes. "I don't want to see these kids have their dreams crushed like ours were, Kazuto. Perhaps my thinking is simplistic in the idea that this will somehow bring us closure for the deaths of our friends, but I am committed to the cause now. I won't force you to help me, but-"

"Shut up," Kazuto said sharply. "Nothing we do will bring back Keita and the others." Before Michael could draw a breath to snap back at his brother, the other young man said, "But if doing this helps you find some peace, I'll be there to help."

Michael breathed in deeply to calm himself before he said, "Thank you."

"There's just one thing I don't get," Kazuto said. "If their leader could beat me, why are we helping them, again? Shouldn't they be fine already?"

"You could have defeated her, and we both know it," Michael replied. "So I intend to find out exactly what it is that is holding them back from achieving their full potential. The first clue I have is that you said she seemed like she was full-time. Another is that they said something about not being able to play together after sometime this spring."

"So you want to help them both in the virtual world, and IRL?" Shino said as she walked in. "Sounds impossible, considering you might be imagining half of it."

"You know who you're talking to, right?" Michael said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "I'm known to pull off the impossible from time to time."

"You're known to show off more often than it's warranted," Shino said as she walked up to her fiancé and wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "But I think that you've got this. And I'm with you." And she kissed him softly for a second, bringing a genuine smile to his face.

"Get a room," Suguha said as she brought in a tea mug.

"Working on it," Michael said as Shino pulled away. "Should be happening in… my, seven weeks, is it?" The couple had surprised some of their friends with a wedding date set less than three months after their engagement. Klein's mischievous inquiry as to whether or not Shino was expecting was met with Michael's fist across his jaw.

"I'm not telling you, but you had better be there on time," Shino teased warningly.

"March twenty-eighth," Suguha reminded Michael. "Geez, you and Big Brother can't seem to remember to remember anything outside the virtual world, can you?"

"To be fair…" Kazuto said.

"The virtual world was our reality for two years, so our plight should be understandable," Michael finished. "Although she is right, I can't ever seem to remember where I put books once I finish reading them."

"You mix them with your DVD's," Shino said with a slight roll of her eyes.

"Thanks, Honey," Michael said.

"No problem, love."

"Seriously- get a room!" Suguha said as she walked towards the house's entrance.

"Seriously- working on it!" Michael called after her.

* * *

"So… Why are we out here instead of searching for the next boss room?" Jun said as he examined his new avatar, a Toa Inika of Fire. "I mean, not that this isn't cool and all, but-"

"Does the student ask questions during class?" Mataras said as he stood mask-to-mask with the other fire Toa. Before anyone else could say anything, he said, "Forget that- moving on. You're out here in the middle of Po-Wahi because you are going to be training your reflexes."

"How're we gonna do that?" Yuuki asked curiously. She was a lightly armored Toa of Earth in the world of the Bionicle. Siune had gone with a Water Toa avatar while Tecchi had become a Toa of Stone.

"The goal of this exercise is to make it from point A to point B," Mataras replied as he swept his arm in the general northern area. "Point 'A' is here, and point 'B' is the village on the other side of the canyon. Sound easy enough?"

"Why do I get the feeling that with you, it's never gonna be that simple?" Nori, a Toa of Ice, said suspiciously.

"I like her," Mataras grinned. "You are correct, nothing is ever simple with me. Make a note of that, since it is important if you are going to learn anything from me- or about me." Before they could say anything in the way of a question, he continued, "To answer the question floating about, yes, there will be more to this than a simple jog. The Moonlit Black Cats are going to use their elemental powers and equipment to shoot at you while you run."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Talken said with a nervous grin. His avatar in ESO was a Toa of Air.

"Doesn't it?" Mataras said with a wolfish smile. "Perhaps you would like to have the first go, then? Oh, and before I forget, you are not allowed to use mask or elemental powers- only weapons."

"Wha-?!" Talken gaped. "That hardly sounds fair!"

"Well of course it's not _fair_," Mataras said dryly. "Do you reckon that the boss on floor twenty-seven is just going to take it easy on you since he's got all the advantages? No. This isn't meant to be fair- nothing in life ever is. But then, you all knew that, didn't you?" He watched them carefully as he made the jab.

Just as he'd thought, each one of them showed signs of outrage, surprise, or guilt before carefully masking their emotions. _So you are hiding something in common, aren't you_? He thought as he turned around, giving no indication that he'd noticed anything. "Life isn't fair, no matter what world we're in," he said, almost to himself.

Turning back to them, he said, "Now, my comrades are already stationed between here and Po-Koro. The day that you all make it to the other side without losing a single member is the day that we, the Moonlit Black Cats, will see you safely to the gates of the next floor boss. Not only that, we will also see to it that no other guilds interfere with your attempts as they have in the past. Deal?"

The Sleeping Knights all exchanged brief glances before turning back and nodding. "You guys know what it takes to beat SAO bosses better than anyone," Yuuki said. "We'll take you on, and then we'll beat that floor boss, too."

"Hmm…" Mataras grinned. "Very well. I look forward to seeing how many of you survive round one. After the exercise is finished for today, you'll get to officially meet the other member of the guild." With that, he vanished into a portal that appeared beneath his feet. As he left them behind, the smile vanished as he thought to himself, _You have no idea the cost of victory in Sword Art Online… Even when we won… We lost._

* * *

"So, I guess we just start running?" Jun said with a confident grin.

"Yeah, but when they start shooting at us, don't use your elemental powers on accident," Nori said with a slight frown. "I don't want to have to start all over again or something. Besides, I doubt that they'll go all-out on us."

"I dunno…" Yuuki said with a thoughtful frown. "Mataras has a pretty serious look on his face all the time… I figure at least he's gonna go at us with everything he's got."

"Ah, if that's the case, you can just beat him up, right?" Talken said as he smiled nervously. "Right, Yuuki?"

"I dunno…" the girl said honestly. "His sister was pretty tough, and she keeps going on about how she's nothing compared to him… In any case, let's get this challenge over with and go beat the next floor boss!"

"_Yeah_!" the others shouted in unison with fist pumps.

* * *

Mataras and Sinon looked down at the cheerful group from above, on a stone pillar. Both of them were smiling. Neither one of them was a friendly smile. "Aren't they just…" Sinon began.

"Adorable?" Mataras finished as he aimed his cordak revolver at an arch over the team's head.

"I was going to say easy, but that works better," the girl said as she laid down and took aim at the lead runner's head with her crossbow. "Are we good to go?"

"_We_ are," Mataras nodded as he prepared to fire. "_They_ most certainly are not." He shot off the miniature missile, striking the arch and unleashing several tons of rubble on the heads of their trainees.

In the same instance, Sinon shot at Jun's head with the perfect aim that had earned her the title of best sniper in the game.

* * *

**Mataras: There you go, a little more of the Red Bullet. Seems like some people were surprised that the wedding will be so soon- almost like we jumped the gun...?**

**Asuna: Don't make puns, Mataras. You're not good at it.**

**Mataras: Yeah, I know...**

**Suguha: So, I'm guessing that this story will be ending with your wedding by this point, huh...?**

**Mataras: Most likely. And now that it's only a few weeks away, I realize that I am going to be very sad to see this story go. I've put so much effort into making it, and I loved being able to revive part of my childhood with it, it's going to be very hard to say goodbye...**

**Asuna: Hey, no need for waterworks yet, Red Swordsman! We're still weeks away from that!**

**Mataras: I know, but I hate goodbyes.**

**Suguha: So don't say goodbye when the time comes.**

**Mataras: What should I say when the time comes, then?**

**Asuna: I'm sure you'll figure it out by the end. Until next time, then?**

**Mataras: Very well. Fare thee well, readers!**


	36. Mataras vs The Sleeping Knights

**A/N: Hello guys! So, I've finally got my schedule sorted out, so hopefully I can return to updating more regularly! I'm sorry that these past few weeks have been so busy, but eh, that's life. In any case, I'm sure you're excited for what the title of this chapter indicates, so I'll leave you to it! Please be sure to leave a review with requests and other questions when you're done!**

**P.S. With the release of the SAO abridged episode, be on the lookout for some new quotes ;)**

* * *

Mataras vs. The Sleeping Knights

By the time the course was finished, only Yuuki and Nori had made it through, and they weren't in great shape. "I think… this is going to be harder… than the boss fight!" Nori gasped as they staggered into town.

"Yeah…" Yuuki agreed. "None of 'em went easy on us! Not even Sachi!"

"Tell me about it," Nori muttered as she plopped down on a stone bench. Yuuki joined her as they both recalled how the normally timid girl had struck down Talken with surprising force. He had been trying to make his way through a short detour that shielded them from Mataras' fire and Sinon's ice when Sachi had confronted him alone.

He was already nervous about being around girls, so when Sachi had started to shoot him with her harpoon mercilessly, he had fallen into a state of shock. Yuuki and Nori had shown up just in time to see her finish him off with a lightning-laced water blast to the chest. They had immediately backtracked and decided to take their chances out in the open rather than face a fully trained Toa in the confines of the canyon walls.

Even as the memory finished playing out, a portal opened in front of the two weary friends, and out stepped the Moonlit Black Cats, led by the Black and Red Swordsmen, both with bright grins on their faces. "Not bad," Mataras said. "Honestly, I expected you to do much worse than you did."

"Nice to know that you have so much confidence in us," Nori said dryly. "How bad were you expecting us to do?"

"Well, to be honest, I half-expected that none of you would survive the race," Mataras shrugged. "So well done. It's not often that my expectations are surpassed."

"Why you gotta mock us like that?" Yuuki pouted.

"Well, how would you prefer to be mocked?" Sinon grinned as she placed a hand on her fiancé's shoulder. "He takes requests."

"Do you prefer dry tone or bored, for example?" Kirito added. "Those are his favorites."

"Oh yeah, laugh it up," Nori said. "Ya know, if I recall, you don't have much room to talk, Kirito. You did lose to Yuuki. Matter of fact, I don't see why we're taking orders from you when none of you can even beat our best player!"

The Cats were silent for a moment before Mataras said, "For two reasons, one of which you are well familiar with. One, we survived and defeated Sword Art Online. The second reason is that none of you have seen what Kirito and I are really capable of."

"Well, maybe if you showed us, we'd put a little more stock in what you've been telling us," Nori replied hotly.

"Come on now, Nori," Yuuki said wearily. "We all agreed to do what he said- can't we just drop it already? We'll try again tomorrow, okay?"

Nori scowled heavily while Mataras simply smirked. "That's better," he said. "Now, how about we find meet up where we told the others to head after they respawned. And Nori?"

"What?" she snapped irritably.

"For a Toa of Ice, you really don't know how to chill."

"Really, man, a pun?!" Kirito mock complained.

"What?!" Mataras said, pretending to be affronted. "I mock people! That's how I do things; you should know this by now!"

* * *

The meeting with the Sleeping Knights was filled with a lot of frustration for the party being tested. They met up on the outskirts of the Koro, with four of the players already grumbling among themselves. Several of them felt that Mataras had been too rough with them. He held his tongue for some time, thanks in no small part to Sinon being there to keep him calm. However, after an hour of bickering, his patience broke.

"Look, Yuuki, all we're saying is that instead of spending time getting our butts handed to us, we should be hitting the next boss, figuring out its attack patterns," Jun said. "All we're doing so far with these guys is argue and get beat up. Besides, what kind of credibility do they have? How can they even prove that they really were survivors of SAO?"

Before Yuuki could answer, a flame blade almost seemed to sprout out of nowhere between Jun's legs. The two guilds looked over at Mataras in surprise to see that he had indeed thrown his sword to stick in front of Jun with blinding speed. He was shaking with fury, his jaw clenched and eyes flaming.

"You want proof?" he spat. "The proof is here, but only for you to see when you look for it!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jun said as he plucked the sword out of the ground and tossed it back at Mataras, anger starting to color his normally cheerful voice.

"Precisely what I said, you microsiphilic adopate," the Red Swordsman snarled, dangerously close to using his reclaimed sword to unleash the fire at his disposal. "But perhaps I set my expectations too high. I thought that perhaps you could see what it is we share in common, but maybe I was wrong."

"What _do_ we share in common?" Siune said before any of her comrades could speak. Her voice was gentler than Jun's but it was clear that she too was offended by his words. "Try to understand from our standpoint, Mataras. So far it seems that our relationship has consisted of you mocking and belittling us, and nothing else."

"Our relationship has lasted but all of two days now!" Mataras replied hotly, ignoring his fiancée's attempts to calm him down. "That is hardly an ample amount of time to draw conclusions about my character!"

"Your 'character' seems to consist of anger and resentment," Yuuki said simply. The tone was not harsh, nor was it kind. "What it seems like to me is that you want to see if we can survive the same kind of frustration that you guys did."

Mataras threw his head back and laughed so hard that a couple of virtual tears rolled down his unmasked face. Even his teammates looked at him askance, nearly with fear. The Sleeping Knights may not have realized how close he was to snapping, but he certainly looked unstable. When he had finished, he wiped his eyes out of habit and said, "A simple obstacle course is so difficult that you cannot overcome it? Then you don't deserve to clear that floor boss. You don't deserve to have your names echoed throughout the ages of this game, like those that gave their lives to secure our freedom."

"Oh, so now we're not good enough to beat your game, is that it?" Nori challenged. "You're so full of it. Yuuki beat Sachi and your best guy, so I don't even get why we listened to you in the first place. You're just hot air, fire-spitter."

"Am I?" Mataras said quietly with a wicked smile. The others leaped away just before he spun, pointed with his sword, and blasted Nori back with a short burst of fire in less the time that it takes to blink. Even that small burst of elemental power was enough to send Nori sprawling.

"Oei!" Yuuki gasped as Sachi moved to stand beside her brother. "What was that for?"

"You want to see what we're really made of?" Sachi said quietly. "We'll take you on. If you think that we're so incompetent, then beat us here and now. Then go take on that boss and put your names up for everyone to see."

"Y-You're gonna s-side with th-that psycho?!" Talken stammered.

"Mataras has been through more than any of you can imagine for every one of us standing here," Asuna said as she drew her rapier.

"He's suffered through isolation and rejection with me so that I wouldn't have to do it alone," Kirito added.

"Mataras saved the lives of thousands, including my brother," Leafa said as she readied her blade for combat.

"He braved the fires of his past to pave a bright future," Litrosh affirmed.

"Uncle Mataras brought my parents together," Yui said as she readied her own blades. By now the Knights were looking less confident.

"My brother found me broken and helped me make myself into someone I could be confident in," Sachi said. "And I wouldn't be here, in every sense of the word, if it wasn't for him."

"He saved my life and took on the burden that I carried alone for years just to bring me peace of mind," Sinon finished as she lifted her crossbow into position. "We're a family because of him, and we'll stand by him, no matter how crazy things are. No matter how crazy he is."

Mataras took his ready stance as he equipped his armor and said, "For my family… I would- and I have- defied death on their behalf. After all that we have been through together, all that we have seen… No one has the right to mock them. _No one_."

Yuuki drew her own sword and said, "We may not have been through the same thing as you guys, but I'll tell you this- each of us have gone through our own hells, and I'll be damned before I let you belittle my friends."

Mataras smirked as the Knights took up arms and stood in a ready position to attack him and his guild mates. "Guys?" he said in a low voice. "This one is mine."

"Oh no, you don't," Sinon hissed. "You are not soloing this one. We're all with you."

"I know you are, and that is all I need," Mataras winked at her. "Now fall back."

"Oh, come on," Jun chuckled. "You don't really expect to beat all of us by yourself, do you? You couldn't even beat Yuuki on your own!"

"Then prove it," Mataras said, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You said that you wouldn't take abuse from me. Now put action behind your words. My family simply did as I asked them, so they take no part in any- however unlikely- punishment that I am to receive."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Tecchi said, surprised. "You're gonna fight a team of six Toa by yourself?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you're all just Matoran in Toa armor," Mataras chuckled as he waved the others back. Much as they didn't want to, they did as he told them. After all, their words would be in vain now if they didn't show that their trust in him was absolute.

"If your health goes into the red, we're coming for you," Sinon said warningly.

"I can abide by that," Mataras said with a grin as the other guild gather around him in a semi-circle. "Now let me show these newcomers how we do it Toa style." Before any of the Knights could move in to attack or say something biting, the Red Swordsman was already moving.

He leaped straight at Talken, who balked from the sudden movement. Mataras knew that he was the most easily startled, so he would be the easiest target. He stabbed him through the chest and grabbed his back before lifting him off of his feet and throwing him right at the bolt of ice that Nori had planned to hit him with. Talken cried out in surprise from the sudden impact and watched as his health drained more than halfway. Nori's jaw dropped as she realized that she had shot her friend by accident.

Mataras ignored that and used his jets to dodge a stone pillar caused by Tecchi. Once he was high enough, he opened fire on Jun with his cordak revolver, blasting the other Toa of Fire into the ground before he could use his elemental powers. He heard the sound of earth moving below him, so he looked down to his left to see Yuuki using an earth pillar to launch herself at him with her sword drawn.

Mataras' mask glowed brightly, and a portal opened in front of him, which she passed through. When it reopened, Yuuki found herself crashing straight into Siune, who was about to launch a whirpool at Mataras. With her concentration broken, the elemental attack failed to launch, and the two friends were doused with water.

Mataras smirked at them all from above and said, "Hey, why don't you all just go back into town before this gets any worse? This is clearly a one-sided duel."

"Are we just gonna take this, you guys?" Yuuki called to her friends, who all shook their heads and readied themselves for another round.

"All right," Mataras shrugged as he aimed his sword at Talken, who froze in place from fear. "But remember; I gave you an out." His mask glowed brightly, then he was gone. Yuuki looked around in several directions, trying to figure out where he had gone when she suddenly realized that her friends were all gone.

"Looking for these?" Mataras said from above her, on top of one of Po-Koro's massive walls. In his fire gauntlet he held five glowing stones- the heart stones of the Sleeping Knights.

"How did you-?" Yuuki began, but Mataras leaped down to face her with a sardonic grin.

"I wear the Kanohi Vahi," he replied. "The mask of time. I can move in a different time frame than anyone else in the game if I choose. Problem is, it requires a great deal of my mask's points to use it. You're lucky- If I'd developed the mask any more by this time, I'd have beaten you as well."

"So what happens now?" Yuuki said as she readied her blade. "Are we still fighting?"

"Only if you want," Mataras shrugged as he tossed aside the stones he had been holding. "Personally, I think that the only reason you were fighting me was to help your friends. Now that they are out of the way for a little while, perhaps you and I can talk."

"I don't have anything to say to people that beat up my friends for fun," Yuuki said as she launched herself at Mataras. He parried her thrust and exchanged a flurry of sword blows that were too fast for most people to follow, although the Cats that were watching seemed to have little trouble keeping up.

"Tell me," Mataras grunted as he shoved Yuuki back mightily. "If you all only have so long together, why not meet up to do something in the real world together?" The question seemed to distract Yuuki for a second, so Mataras kicked her in the stomach and sent her staggering back several steps, though she remained upright.

Off to the side, Sinon frowned. She knew Mataras' power better than most, and she knew that his kicks normally left people sprawling in the dirt. He was holding back at this point- but why? She could only wonder as she watched the duel unfold.

"We… We're don't know each other in real life," Yuuki finally said.

"You're lying," Mataras shot back. "No one that meets in the virtual world and forms bonds like the ones I've seen between you and your friends doesn't make an effort to get to know the others in real life." Yuuki cringed, realizing that he was right. Still…

"Why should I tell you anything?" she challenged as she struck at his shoulder with great swiftness, scoring a solid hit before receiving three blows in return.

"Because I would still be willing to help you and your friends if I knew the whole truth," Mataras replied flatly. "Living in Sword Art Online taught me many things, including learning how to tell when someone is hiding something. And I refuse to help people that don't tell me everything."

"Seems like a high price to pay," Yuuki said breathlessly.

"Perhaps," Mataras agreed, somewhat surprising her. "But then, how am I supposed to know if I did what I set out to do in the end if I didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle in the first place? I feel as though I would be leaving the job unfinished. And I hate leaving my work even a bit unfinished."

Yuuki lashed out with a swipe at his neck, which the Red Swordsman halted with his gauntlet. "Well, maybe your price is too high a price to ask," she grunted.

"Why?" Mataras said with a slight grin. "Are you on the run from the law on the other side or something? Is that why you spend nearly every waking moment in this world?"

"Wha-?! No!" Yuuki sputtered. "Nothing like that! Man, how paranoid are you?!"

"Very," was the response, followed by a stab at her midsection. As she went rolling back, he advanced and said, "But it's rather obvious to me that your reflexes are born from being in this world full-time. Only front-liners from Sword Art Online had the skills that you do, and neither my brother nor I ever saw you in Old Aincrad. So the question I ask is: what are you hiding from?"

Yuuki locked her red eyes on his dark ones through their masks and said, "Pain."

Mataras stopped advancing on her and lowered his sword. Then he nodded once and said, "Is it the same for the others, then?"

"Yes," Yuuki nodded.

"Very well," Mataras said as he sheathed his blade. "I understand." Turning to the others, he said, "We have an understanding. When the others meet up with us, we're heading to the twenty-seventh floor boss."

"We are?" Leafa said, dumbfounded. "Wait, I don't get it."

"We both made our points," Mataras said as the others gathered around him and Yuuki. "I understand her drive now, and she understands why I did what I did."

"Just like that?" Asuna said skeptically.

"Just like that," Yuuki said with a grin. "Sometimes, all it takes to get your point across is a good fight."

Asuna's eyes widened, then she put her chin in between her thumb and forefinger. "A good fight, huh…?" she repeated.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Yui asked the Toa of Ice.

"Huh?" Asuna said. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, Yui. Just thinking about some IRL stuff." Kirito said nothing, but he put an encouraging arm around his wife's shoulder.

"So, will the others try to fight Mataras again, do you think?" Sachi asked Yuuki.

"Nah, not once they hear it was basically the final test," Yuuki grinned easily. "And if they try to fight him, I won't get in his way. You were right, Sachi. Your brother is on a whole different level!"

"This fight was somewhat unfair," Mataras admitted. "I have two of the rarest masks in the game, so your guild was already at a disadvantage. If you wish to fight me someday in New Aincrad, I would be happy to oblige you to a more evenly matched duel."

"I'll hold you to it," Yuuki said as she clanked fists with the tall, red-armored Toa. "But first, can we get my guild's name up on the Wall of History?"

"Done deal," Kirito nodded. "We'll make sure you guys take your place on the wall."

* * *

**Klein: Aw, man!**

**Mataras: What?**

**Klein: I was hoping that you and Yuuki would finish the fight!**

**Mataras: Well, I still beat the living daylights out of the rest of her guild, so I think there was an appropriate amount of action in this chapter. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I did do two things for my readers.**

**Klein: What's that?**

**Mataras: One, this chapter didn't leave off with a cliffhanger. Two, I promised to fight Yuuki in New Aincrad. So there, something to be relieved about, and something to look forward to. Not a bad ending to the chapter, if I do say so myself.**

**Klein: But what about Asuna's mom?**

**Mataras: Oh please. We all know how that's going to end.**

**Klein: We do?**

**Mataras: Isn't it obvious? Okay, I'll tell you what's going to happen. See-**


	37. Insurmountable

**A/N: I think I'm going to stop saying that my life is about slow down out loud, because every time I do, something new comes up! In any case, here is the new chapter I promised like a week ago... Enjoy, and please leave a review!**

* * *

Insurmountable

The combined guilds made their way up to the floating castle of New Aincrad immediately after Yuuki explained the situation to her teammates. None of the Sleeping Knights wasted their breath on arguing now. If they were going to have any kind of help, now was the time to use it, before any other players could mass up to defeat the boss.

Unfortunately, when they got to the boss room entrance, they found a group of nearly fifty players already there. The Sleeping Knights all showed emotions ranging from outraged to depressed. Mataras sighed at the sight of it.

"Maybe I should try to handle this one more… delicately," he said as he started to walk up to the man who looked to be in charge. Sinon sniggered despite her attempts to do otherwise, causing Mataras to turn around with his eyebrow raised. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Sorry, I just never thought I'd see the day where you didn't want to beat up a bunch of idiots in front of an adoring audience," she giggled.

"Don't put words in my mouth," Mataras sniffed as he strode forward to come face to face with the leader of the massive party. "Good afternoon," he said in a conversational tone. "Might there be any way you could let us through? We wanted to have a shot at this boss ourselves, if you don't mind."

Off to the side, Sinon rolled her eyes and said, "One day…"

The gamer snorted derisively and attempted to shove Mataras back as he said, "Get lost." It was only natural that he be surprised by the fact that Mataras did not budge. And what was even more unsettling was the slow, wicked grin crawling its way across his face.

"I believe that there is a way for you to let us through, actually," he said as he made like he was going to turn around. "You all will just have to die." What happened next was too fast for the other players to follow, but the Sleeping Knights' jaws dropped and the Cats grinned as Mataras spun in a reverse arc to smash the heel of his foot into the man's jaw to send him sprawling. He ended this movement by drawing his sword with lightning speed and staring down the other forty-odd players.

"So," Kirito grinned as he and the other Black Cats drew their weapons. "Who else wants some?"

"You wanna fight all of us…?" another player said, confused. "By yourselves?"

"They're crazy," said a girl. "Let's just kill 'em and hit the boss already."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sinon said as she took aim with her bow at the girl that had spoken. "These guys are the real deal- SAO survivors. Messing with them is the last thing any gamer should want."

The small army considered this for a moment before the man that Mataras had first attacked got up and said, "Right… Like we'd believe that… Those cowards would never put on a full-dive rig again."

"I'd just as soon reconsider your stance, completely and immediately," Mataras growled. "Tell me- do you know of the Red Swordsman, also known as the Toa of Aincrad?"

"I've heard of him," the other player snapped as he drew an axe. "What of it?"

"He is said to wield the Dragon Blood, making him the freest of beings in the virtual world," Sachi said quietly. "He is not confined by the sword skills' system. It gives him free range of motion."

"For instance…" Mataras said just before he threw his sword and impaled the leader with it, draining the last of his health and causing him to shatter into pieces, much to the shock of his comrades. "Like so." He darted forward and picked up his sword even as Sinon shot at the girl that had been talking back to them, taking her in the head and shattering her avatar.

Kirito finally unleashed his dual wielding in front of the Sleeping Knights, and their eyes widened in shock as they saw the amount of power that his twin blades radiated. Asuna's rapier shot ahead of her and skewered a lancer that was about to take a stab at her husband. Sachi moved to stand back-to-back with Yui, who was wielding twin knives in her child-like avatar form. Litrosh was everywhere, distracting players with flame bursts and causing damage with his teeth and claws.

The Sleeping Knights were in awe, even Yuuki. Never before had they seen such a display of unity in a team. Not even they could claim to move so well together. The closest that they could ever recall such a thing happening was when their numbers had been seven, and only two of the members had showed such coordination.

It wasn't just teamwork- it was almost… an art. "The art of the sword," Yuuki murmured. "So this is what the world of Sword Art Online created…"

"What's that, Yuuki?" Siune asked.

"Nothing," the girl said as she shook her head in a negative motion. "C'mon, let's help 'em out!"

"No!" Mataras roared as he back flipped over a sword that glowed red. He landed a few feet away from them and shouted, "Get through to the door, and leave these degenerates to us!"

"Degenerates?" Sachi said as ducked a burly axe man's attack and then took him out with a five-hit combo. "That seems a bit harsh, Brother."

"I'm in a bad mood," Mataras growled. "Regardless, do as I say!" He blocked a sword slash coming at his backside and then used his free hand to backfist his opponent. "We'll cut a way through for you and then hold them off."

"Okay…" Yuuki said, not entirely sure that even the combined might of the Moonlit Black Cats could get them unscathed to the boss room. Nonetheless, she chose to have faith in the strange young man, known to this world as the Red Swordsman. "Group up, guys!" she ordered her guild.

"Arrowhead formation!" Kirito snapped. "Yui and Litrosh, guard our flanks!" Together, the Cats formed a rough triangle around the Sleeping Knights, protecting them from all angles. As one, they charged into the fray, dashing aside anyone that dared get in their way. Half of their opponents simply fled down a side passage out fear of the death penalties that would damage their equipment and cause them to lose some items in their inventory.

Not to mention the very glare from the two leaders were downright frightening. The one dressed in black met his enemies with golden eyes, hardened in the fires of pain, rejection, and isolation. The one dressed in red struck with the wrath of a dragon, his eyes blazing silver with his utter hatred of the world, the howling tempest that only peaked out over the horizon oh so rarely these days.

Before the Sleeping Knights knew it, they were facing the boss room's door. "Go ahead," Sachi said over her shoulder as the Cats turned to face the original raiding party, which was regrouping like so many scattered leaves. "We'll at least hold them up long enough for you to finish your task."

* * *

"Thanks, Sachi," Yuuki grinned as Jun and Tecchi shoved the massive doors open. "We owe you guys one."

"Go," Leafa grinned as she waved at the other girl. "We expect to see you guys flashing us a big victory sign when we next see you."

"Fight hard, and more importantly, fight smart," Mataras said as he turned to look at the Knights with a rare, genuine grin. "Go and be what we could not."

Yuuki wondered at the Red Swordsman's comment- after all, it seemed like the Moonlit Black Cats were the ones that the Sleeping Knights should be emulating. Then the doors swung shut, and as they boomed, Yuuki's eyes widened as a recent memory surfaced.

"_So the question I ask is: what are you hiding from?"_

_Yuuki locked her red eyes on his dark ones through their masks and said, "Pain."_

_Mataras stopped advancing on her and lowered his sword. Then he nodded once and said, "Is it the same for the others, then?"_

"_Yes," Yuuki nodded._

"_Very well," Mataras said as he sheathed his blade. "I understand."_

At the time she had understood that he too must have suffered greatly in his life, and this was the place in which he found solace. But now she understood completely. _It wasn't in the other world that he lost his dream_, she thought in a rush. _It was this one. And he doesn't want us to lose the dream that we share like he did._

The boss room lit up and Yuuki readied her blade, new resolve in her heart. _The next time we meet, Mataras, I'll want to know what the dream was that you lost. And I want to know if the dream we have is really so similar to your own._

* * *

The Moonlit Black Cats were all backed up against the door of the boss room, with little room to maneuver. The remaining players from the raid party numbered nearly forty, and the guild from Old Aincrad had already collectively lost a quarter of their health.

"I don't like these odds," Asuna said as she raised her rapier into position.

"Yeah," Sinon grinned cheekily. "They don't stand a chance."

"How about we save the smart comments until after we've won?" Kirito snapped. "Assuming we do…"

"Please, the Gleam Eyes was tougher than this sorry bunch," Mataras said cockily.

"We had maxed out half our skills," Kirito countered.

"That thing had a sword that could cut a horse in two," Mataras shot back.

"It had programmed patterns!" the Black Swordsman said hotly.

"The sword skills are all pre-programmed, too!" his brother shot back.

"Both of you, stop it!" Sinon shouted as she swung her bow to aim the arrow at her fiancé and his best friend. "Make nice!"

"Okay, okay!" Kirito said as he raised his swords in defense. "Just be cool! We're all friends here…"

"Drama queen," Mataras sniggered.

"She put an arrow in my face, man!" Kirito argued as he rounded back on his brother. "I'd say this is an adequate amount of drama!"

"It's not the first time she does that," Mataras shrugged. "Not for me, anyway."

"That doesn't make it better!"

Sinon looked at them in bewilderment, as did everyone else in the hallway, including the enemy players. They were faced with imminent defeat, and here they were arguing like children? Had they gone insane?

"You do realize that you're marrying one of them in a few weeks, right…?" Sachi said with a heavy sigh.

Sinon turned to Asuna and asked, "How did you put up with that on a daily basis?"

"Sometimes I wonder…" Asuna sighed with a smile. "But as long as I remember how much of a man Kirito is under all that childishness, I can put up with his antics. Heck, sometimes, I join him."

"Okay, good," Sinon smiled as she aimed her bow at the players that were finally starting to charge. "I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't crazy."

"We're all crazy here," Sachi said with a slight smile. "Who else would fight a small army of players like this?"

Before anyone could answer, there were multiple cries of surprise from the rear of the boss raid party, accompanied by the sounds of some familiar battle cries and sword skills being activated. Yui used her Divine Eye skill to examine the new element before she broke out into a grin and said, "It's the Furin Kazan guild! And Silica, Lisbeth, and Mr. Agil are here, too!"

"Sounds like the party is just getting together," Mataras said as his sword flicked into position. "What say we add to the festivities?"

"I say we've done enough talking," Kirito replied. "I'll bet the Sleeping Knights have already got the boss' first health bar down by now."

"Then do it, Kirito," Mataras said just before he darted forward. Kirito smiled briefly, then followed suit, both of his swords glowing yellow.

* * *

When the boss doors opened again to admit the Moonlit Black Cats, Klein and two of his friends- three of them had fallen in combat- alongside Agil, the Sleeping Knights were all sagged on the floor with tired smiles, They looked completely spent to the SAO survivors, but they all raised their faces and their right arms to smile and flash a 'V' at their comrades.

Klein grinned at the two parties before excusing himself and his guild to go trigger then next floor's warp gate so that players from all over New Aincrad could revel in the beauty of the next stage of the virtual world.

"Well done," Mataras nodded as soon as the other guild had left. "You earned this."

"Gotta admit, that boss' attacks weren't as hard to dodge as Mataras' fire," Nori admitted grudgingly. "Thanks for the crash course, I guess."

"You're welcome," Mataras smirked. "But if anything, you should be thanking Sachi for our help." He turned to his little sister and put a hand on her shoulder as he said, "Had she not fought as hard as she had, Yuuki would not have been forced to respond in kind, and then our interests never would have intersected."

"Well, if you wanna put it that way…" Yuuki said with a grin as she stood up stiffly. "Thank you, Sachi," she finished as she bowed to the blue-haired girl.

"The honor was mine, Toa Zekken," Sachi replied with a gentle smile as she bowed in return to her once-opponent.

"All right!" Kirito grinned as the two girls straightened. "What are you guys gonna do with all that col you won?"

"We hadn't decided…" Siune said. "We were originally going to give the winnings to the person that helped our guild beat the boss, but now we're not sure."

"Why don't we throw a victory party?" Yui suggested brightly. "We all worked really hard to beat this boss, so we deserve to celebrate!"

"I think Yui's on to something," Asuna smiled as she gathered the little girl up in her arms. "And I know just the place to host the party at."

"Renting taverns out for events is usually kinda expensive, but with all our winnings, I bet we could do it!" Jun said excitedly.

"Actually, I think Asuna was wondering if you would like to have the party at our house on floor twenty-two," Kirito grinned as his wife clasped his hand warmly. "You won't have to pay a fee, so you could buy more food that way."

"That's really generous of you, but-" Siune was stopped by Yuuki's hand in front of her chest, prompting her to give her leader a confused look.

"That would be really nice," Yuuki said as she bowed again, this time to the Black Lighting couple. "Thank you, Mister Kirito, Miss Asuna."

"You're welcome, and don't worry about being formal," Asuna grinned as she moved forward to shake hands with Yuuki. "Let's all go have a good time, okay?"

"Yeah," Yuuki smiled brightly. Together, the Moonlit Black Cats and Sleeping Knights walked out of the boss room, with their goals accomplished, and their hearts full of satisfaction with their work. Everyone was smiling, and everyone was happy.

What a stark contrast that was in comparison to the tragedy that was to come.

* * *

**Kirito: Okay, admit it, you just don't know how to end a chapter without ending it in a cliffhanger anymore, do you?**

**Mataras: Essentially, yeah.**

**Asuna: I predict some hate mail coming in for that...**

**Mataras: What do you want me to do about it?!**

**Leafa: Stop leaving cliffhangers!**

**Mataras: No! It's part of my style now, and you should all just-!**


	38. Party Time

**A/N: Hey guys, how have you all been?! I know this one tooka while, but I worked really hard to incorporate an appropriate amount of silliness and fluff into this part f the story. There will be some foreshadowing, but no cliffhanger, for once! Enjoy, and please be sure to leave a review.**

* * *

Party Time

"I can't remember the last time I was actually excited about having a party, instead of just going to one," Kirito said as he added a few items from the NPC's menu to his own inventory. "Seems like ages ago that I had Mr. Nishida over for dinner. That's probably the last time I had someone over to our house other than family or guild mates."

"You had Silica and Lisbeth over for that Back-to-School party," Mataras reminded him.

"Well, they might as well be family or guild mates by now," Kirito replied easily as they started walking through town.

"Fair enough," Mataras nodded. Before he could say more, a familiar face came up to the pair, causing the two brothers to pause uncertainly.

"How's it going, Mataras?" asked Walter. Kirito reflected that Walter was a friend of Dragon Song, and one of the people that had fought to help free him and Asuna in the Kini Nui quest underneath the island of Mata Nui. However, their first meeting had consisted of Mataras beating the virtual daylights out of the Toa of Air.

"I am well, and yourself?" Mataras replied neutrally. Allies they might have been in the past, but it was still difficult to tell what Walter and Dragon's motives were for meeting him.

"I have a message from Dragon Song," Walter replied, confirming the boys' suspicions. "He wants to fight you again. One last time, and even if he loses, he'll never bother you about it again. No strings attached."

"None?" Mataras said, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, unless you count discarding your legendary masks for the fight to make it an even fight, then yeah, there's no strings attached," Walter grinned. "He's not demanding that you hand over your masks or anything like that, Just a simple fight to see who's really stronger. What do you say?"

"Tell me one good reason why I should give up the Vahi and Olmak," Mataras answered flatly. "Dragon has one day to give me the right answer, or his chance will be gone. I tire of people too eager to fight me to actually pose a challenge."

"Harsh," Kirito muttered.

"I'll… pass on the message," Walter finally said. "See ya guys later, I guess." And he took his leave. Mataras and Kirito watched him vanish into the bustling crowd of floor six before shrugging and moving on.

* * *

The Sleeping Knights all showed varying expressions of surprise and awe at the house that Kirito and Asuna had bought when they walked up the snowy path. Kirito and Leafa greeted them at the door and let them into the warm little cabin.

"Wow…" Yuuki said as she stepped into the living room. "This is so cozy! You guys must have spent an arm and a leg on this place!"

"It's one of the things that stayed pretty much exactly the same from Old Aincrad," Asuna said as she welcomed everyone in. "I loved every minute I spent here…" She smiled fondly with a bit of a blush as she remembered her honeymoon days with Kirito.

"Hey, focus!" Sinon said as she nudged Asuna with an elbow, none too gently. "We've got food to make up."

"I wanna help!" Yui said excitedly as she ran up with Litrosh perched on her shoulder.

"Hey, honey," Asuna said as she scooped up the little girl while Litrosh leapt on top of Sinon's head. "Where's your uncle? Did he get scared of you again?"

"No, I haven't seen him since he went shopping with Daddy," Yui answered as she was put down. Looking up at Kirito, she asked, "Is he okay?"

"I honestly dunno where he's at," Kirito shrugged. "He brought his stuff in and then he was gone. Maybe he logged out?" As he voiced his thought, he opened his menu to look up his friend's status. He frowned as he said, "He's still in-game, and the map says he's right next to me… Wait…"

He and Sachi shared a look, then looked straight up. "The roof," they sighed in unison.

"Coin toss to see who goes to get him?" Asuna suggested.

"Wait, why don't I just go up and get him?" Sinon suggested.

"Sure, if you think that's a good idea," Kirito replied.

"Is there something that I'm missing here…?" Sinon asked suspiciously.

"Back in the day, he went up on the roof went he wanted time alone to think," Sachi replied. "Kirito thought he was asleep the first time he went up, and when he tried to wake him up, he got thrown off the building."

"He wouldn't throw me!" Sinon protested.

"If you feel comfortable taking that chance, we won't stop you," Kirito said as he rubbed his neck. "Just don't say we didn't warn you."

"Hey guys, are we having a party or what?" Nori asked impatiently.

"Coming!" Sachi said as Sinon headed outside the door. "Let's get the food started."

"All right!" Jun exclaimed happily. "Party time!"

As the others gathered to prepare food and drinks, Yuuki hung back for a second to look out the window. _What pain are you still hiding, Red Swordsman?_ She thought before moving away from the glass. _Maybe you can actually understand…? _"I must be losing it," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

"Mataras?" Sinon said as she leapt atop the roof of the house. When she received no reply, she sighed and walked over to where the chimney would be hiding her fiancé from view. "What are you doing up here in this weather?"

"Meditation," came the reply.

"Does it have to be right when we're having a party?" Sinon asked as she sat beside the swordsman. "You seemed okay with the party before today. Did something happen IRL?"

"No, nothing like that," Mataras said as he opened his eyes. "And yes, it does have to be now. I'm not… stable… at the moment."

Sinon looked at him with worry and said, "Something to do with the Moonlit Black Cats from Old Aincrad?"

Mataras visibly flinched and tensed up at the mention of his old friends. "Aye," he said shortly. "Today… Today is the day we officially restarted the guild."

"But…" Sinon hesitated, unsure of how to proceed on such volatile ground. "Didn't… Didn't they… umm…"

"Yes, they died months beforehand," Mataras replied while clenching his fists. "I know I haven't talked about that time period much, but… Well, it wasn't our best time in Old Aincrad. We grinded constantly, simply for the sake of levelling up, it seemed. We were barely at home, and we never spoke to Asuna or Klein once that whole time. We barely even spoke to each other.

"Sachi had forgiven us, but Kirito and I had not forgiven ourselves. Part of us still harbors guilt…" He was silent and brooded for a time. "Shortly after the New Year, with Litrosh having joined us, we finally got our fire back.

"It was a boss raid. A guild called the Jade Lilies had just joined the assault team. It was their first and last boss raid, thanks to us." Sinon sat up a little straighter, fearing the worst.

"Did they die on the raid?" she asked.

"No," Mataras said with a slight smile. "They lived, but only because Kirito, Sachi, and I took up the slack for them. They were overwhelmed by the boss' speed, and they nearly did get killed. But just before they were about to be struck down, Kirito and I teamed up with Furin Kazan to hold it off long enough for Sachi to get them to safety and get them health potions.

"After the raid, we spoke to their leader, a young man named Jito. We told him that he could keep going on boss raids and endangering the lives of his comrades, or stick to clearing floors where they might still do some good, instead of having us cover for them every time. Perhaps I could have been more tactful in my approach, but I never saw them in a boss room again."

"You never saw them again?" Sinon asked.

"I never saw them in a boss room again," Mataras repeated. "After that, they moved on to become one of our best mapping teams. They also helped a number of lower-level players on quests to help them level up faster and increase their safety. About a month after we saved them, Jito talked to Kirito, thanking us and saying that they never would have had a real purpose in this world had we not shown them that confronting death directly every day when you can't handle it wasn't the way to go.

"But it did us all good to see a group of friends thriving whereas we had only brought tragedy on ourselves," Mataras said with a slightly wider smile. "If we could help out other guilds and people like them, then we owed it to our fallen comrades to continue while they could not."

"And you see something similar in the Sleeping Knights, don't you?" Sinon concluded.

"Aye," Mataras nodded, growing somber once more. "But this day… Sometimes it's simply too much. This isn't just the day that we reformed the Moonlit Black Cats. It's the day we… set up a tombstone for everyone." He closed his eyes against the dark memories. "We put up a tombstone in Taft, near the tavern where we used to meet up every night."

Sinon scooted closer and put her arms around her best friend, pulling him in for a cuddle. "You know it wasn't your fault, right?" she said softly. "Sachi told me everything, you know. And she was right- your friends should have listened to you."

"They would have if they had known we were beaters- or they would have had nothing to do with us in the first place, and then- mph!" He was cut off by Sinon's lips crashing into his own, and her arms tightening around him.

She pulled back with a slight gasp to look into his widened eyes. "Shut up," she breathed. "No amount of blame will bring them back. And before you start on your whole 'the blame must fall on someone, so it might as well be on the ones that got away' argument, remember that your friends knew you were skilled at least, so this still should have listened to you. Sure, the lies weren't the wisest decision, but that is _not_ what got them killed. It was the same thing that killed Diabel- greed." She had read Mataras' account of the battle after he had written it for his novel.

Mataras' mind flashed back to the original leader of the assault team, recalling how his desire to obtain the midnight cloak had gotten him killed. Then he jumped forward to Ducker's gleeful expression as he dashed into the obvious trap. Frowning slightly, he said, "You may be right… But this blame is something I will always carry, no matter how many healing words are spoken from you, or anyone else. It is part of my nature, no matter how much logic is placed upon the situation… I'm sorry, I shouldn't be keeping you up here." He kissed her on the cheek and added, "Go on down. Have fun with everyone."

"Not without you," she insisted.

"I'm only going to dampen the mood," Mataras said as he shook his head. "No one needs me down there."

"I do," Sinon argued back. "So until you're ready to go down, I'm staying up here with you." And she leaned her head against his shoulder contentedly. Mataras sighed in resignation, knowing that he wouldn't be able to argue this point. Sinon was just as stubborn as he was.

_I suppose that's part of what makes us click_, he thought as he closed his eyes again. _Although… Perhaps it's time to see about going back Taft. They still deserve a resting place in this world._

* * *

"Think they're okay up there?" Asuna asked her husband as she finished preparing a mutton dish. "They've been up for a while."

"If I didn't know Mataras better, and the fact that it was so cold, I'd say that they were having adult fun," Kirito smirked. "But yeah, I'm sure they're fine."

"You're lucky Mataras didn't hear that," Asuna smirked as she moved out of the kitchen, her husband following closely with the drinks. "He'd have run you through and dropped you off the edge of the map."

"Yeah…" Kirito said uncomfortably as they walked over to a group of laughing guild mates. Sachi was smiling as she recounted the story of how Mataras reacted to Yui when first meeting her, which the Sleeping Knights found both hilarious and hard to reconcile with the hard-eyed, skilled warrior that had beaten all of them single-handedly.

"His kryptonite really is little kids?" Yuuki giggled. "You're not kidding?"

"Not one bit," Kirito chuckled as he joined the group. "I thought he was gonna have a heart attack the first time Yui hugged him."

"I'm glad to see how much my discomfort brings your amusement," a dry voice said as the door swung open to admit Mataras and Sinon. "Would everyone like to hear the tale of how _Asuna_ nearly gave _Kirito_ a heart attack?"

"Hey, let's not make this personal!" Kirito said with a blazing red face. Asuna didn't look much better, much to the Red Swordsman's satisfaction.

"I'll let it slide this once," Mataras said smugly. "Next time, we'll all hear the… _heated_ details. Except for Yui. I'm not sure she'd ever recover."

"Daddy, what's he talking about?" Yui asked innocently.

"Nothing you need to know about!" Kirito said, his face nearly Guilty Thorn red. "Let's eat! And drink! And, uh-!" He cut himself off by grabbing the nearest bottle a downing it. Mataras simply looked on with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile. The other Cats were staring at him with wide eyes- even for him that was a dark threat. Of course, the Sleeping Knights thought this was hilarious, and burst out into laughter, much to the embarrassment of the married couple.

"You're a sensitive soul, aren't you, Mataras?" Yuuki teased.

"If by sensitive, you mean always ready with a biting comeback for whatever people say that I don't like… then yes," Mataras replied.

"How often do you practice your comebacks?" Jun asked.

"Only in my sleep," Mataras shot back, straight-faced.

"Wow, he really doesn't know when to stop, does he?" Tecchi said.

"Unfortunately," Sinon nodded.

"At least he doesn't pummel people as a first response anymore…" Sachi sighed. "My big brother is growing up."

"Why did you make that sound like I was the younger sibling?" Mataras asked, slightly affronted by her tone.

"Of the people in this room, which one has a history of instigating extreme violence, and which one has the habit of keeping the first from going overboard?" Sachi replied.

"Man, two years ago, neither one of them would have acted like this," Kirito said aside to Asuna. "He would have stormed off at the start, and she would have retreated into a quiet shell."

"And you would have been losing sleep while grinding, I'll bet," Asuna said back.

"Says you?" Kirito said with a gentle smile and ribbing.

"That's fair," Asuna conceded. Looking at the guilds in their home, the couple couldn't help but be happy. One could celebrate their greatest victory, and the other could celebrate the changes that their many victories- and losses- had brought them.

"Well now that the buzzkill is here, let's try and liven things up!" Leafa declared as she popped open a bottle of champagne. "Party time!"

"Yeah! Let's have a drinking contest!" Nori shouted excitedly.

"No way, absolutely not!" Mataras objected. "No underage drinking while I'm around!"

"You do know that this stuff doesn't actually make you drunk, right…?" Yuuki said to the Red Swordsman.

"It's the thought that counts!"

"Stickler."

"_Please_ let me fight her now."

"No way!" Sachi and Sinon cried as they began to restrain him. "You had your chance and you let me take it!" Sachi grunted as she held on to his arm.

"But I can beat her in less than a minute!" he protested.

"No!"

"And if I beat her, she can just respawn in town!" he continued. "I'll have all of my aggressions out! This could be so easy!" It took the girls several minutes to convince him not to start a full-scale fight in Asuna's house. And all the while, Yuuki just stared at the boy in the red jacket, puzzled how someone so angry could act so childish.

* * *

After Mataras had been calmed down, the party was actually a great success. There was music, laughter, and of course, great food and drink. "You guys know how to party, I'll give you that," Yuuki said to Sachi as she sat on the couch next to her new friend.

"It comes with knowing how to play hard," Sachi said with a slight smile. "You learn how to appreciate things a little more, especially little luxuries like this."

"So, how did you learn that lesson, if you don't mind me asking?" Yuuki said after a moment of companionable silence.

"Well…" Sachi said, stirring uncomfortably. "Maybe some other time. Today… Well, it's just not a good day to bring that up."

"Okay, no pressure," Yuuki said easily. "I was just curious. Well, to be honest, I was trying to figure out your brother- he's so weird."

"You don't have to tell me that," Sachi said with a soft chuckle.

"I mean, most of the time he's all grim and serious," Yuuki continued, voicing her earlier thoughts. "But sometimes it's like he's got this little streak of mischief just fighting to get out. I just can't tell which side of him is the real one."

"Who says that only one side is real?" Sachi replied. "I've known him long enough to know that Mataras possesses unequal amounts of rage and joy inside of him, with anger of course being his dominant emotion. But that doesn't make his happiness any less real."

Yuuki smiled again at Sachi, this time saying, "Mataras really is lucky to have such an understanding little sister. And he really seems to need that in his life."

"Yeah, well…" Sachi cast a glance over at Mataras and Sinon, who were laughing and talking with Kirito and Talken. "I may not be playing that role for much longer…"

"Trust me Sachi, Mataras is always going to need his family with him," Yuuki said with a knowing expression. "Every big sibling does. The biggest reason they can be strong is because their family needs them to be, and gives them the support to do it. And even I can see how much Mataras cares about you. He loves his little sister, and he always will, I'm sure of it."

Sachi could only smile back at the other girl, and open up her menu.

"Watcha doing?" Yuuki asked, just before a friend request popped up in front of her.

"I'd like to be your friend, Yuuki," Sachi said simply. "So how about it?"

"Yeah," the girl known as Zekken said with a bright smile as she accepted the request. "Why not?" The menu closed and the two of them shook hands. "I'm glad to have met you, Sachi. Thanks for helping me and my guild."

"It was no problem, really," Sachi replied easily. "It was really cool, getting to see all of accomplish your dream like that."

"Speaking of…" Yuuki said, suddenly reminded of an important detail. "The wall should be updated by now. Wanna come with us to check it out?"

"Of course!" Sachi said as she stood. "Let's go take a picture in front of it and everything!" And so the group began to gather their things in preparation for the trip into the Town of Beginnings.

* * *

**Mataras: And that's a wrap for today.**

**Klein: Wow, you were right. No cliffies!**

**Mataras: To be honest, I couldn't really figure how to make this chapter end on a note like that, so I just went with the flow.**

**Klein: Wait, so do you usually go against the flow to make cliffhangers?**

**Mataras: No, that's not what I meant! If it doesn't fit in my story, it doesn't go! A cliffhanger wouldn't have fit, so one wasn't needed!**

**Klein: Yow! Looks like the dragon woke up on the wrong side of the bed.**

**Litrosh: I resent that.**


	39. Secrets

**A/N: Hey guys, it's time for another action-packed chapter in this unique crossover! I hope you're ready for emotional catharsis, and some serious beatdowns, because that's what I've been preparing. Also, I have been sick for almost a week now, so I apologize if this is not my best work... In any case, let's get started!**

* * *

Secrets

The group rushed through the Town of Beginnings, ignoring the stares that they attracted from the other players. Some of them recognized the famed Moonlit Black Cats, and others saw the legendary Zekken as they rushed past. Many of them had to wonder, what warranted such a gathering of top-notch players?

The answer awaited the combined group on the Wall of History, the place where names were recorded for posterity whenever a floor was cleared for the first time. This had been its function in the Beta version of the game as well, but when Sword art Online was officially launched, it was a wall where every single player's name was recorded, both dead and alive.

As the Cats looked up at the wall, mixed emotions welled up within the survivors of Aincrad. On almost every floor, Kirito's name was listed as the leader of the reformed Moonlit Black Cats, marking all that they had accomplished in New Aincrad. But they could almost see the names of those that had fallen trying to clear the game on the massive wall, which only brought the sting of regret.

Mataras bowed his head and knelt in tribute to those he remembered as he said in a tone so low that only Sinon and Sachi heard him; "May you rest in peace, ye who gave their lives so that others might one day live again."

Yuuki sidled up to Sachi and whispered, "What's he doing?"

"Paying homage to those we lost," the azure-haired girl replied in a soft voice. "He does it every time we come here, no exceptions."

"Wow," Yuuki whispered. "He takes this stuff pretty seriously, even for an SAO survivor. At least, that's how it seems to me."

"You're not wrong," Sinon said, in a lowered voice as well. "Mataras is just pretty grim and serious in general. But that's why he understands me so well. I need that in the man I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with."

"Aw," Yuuki grinned as she raised her voice a bit. "You're such a sweetheart, Sinon. I never would have guessed!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sinon said, a slight growl in her throat.

"N-Nothing!" Yuuki said as Mataras stood, done paying his respects. Searching for something to change the subject, she pointed up towards a higher point on the wall and said, "Would you look at that? We're already up there!"

And indeed, there were the names of every Sleeping Knight, recorded under the mark of floor twenty-seven. The guild looked positively aglow with pride, and the scene brought smiles to the faces of the Cats as well.

Suddenly, Leafa was struck by an idea, and she voiced it by saying, "Hey, let's take a group photo of you guys!" The others thought that this was a great idea, and within a moment, the Sleeping Knights were all lined up against the wall, striking various poses and wearing bright smiles. Leafa pulled out the appropriate item and snapped the picture.

The Knights were well-pleased with the results, and Yuuki surprised them by asking to take a picture of the Moonlit Black Cats. "Just so we have something to remember you guys, ya know?" she said eagerly.

"Sure," Asuna agreed. "Why not?"

"Because I hate taking pictures," Mataras muttered. Sinon elbowed him, so he grumbled a bit more, but reluctantly agreed to be in the photo.

"Alright!" Yuuki grinned as she readied her item that would capture the moment. "Kirito and Asuna, scoot together a bit more… Perfect! Hey, Mataras, would it kill you to smile?"

"Yes," he grumbled. "Just take the picture."

"Okay, bossy," she giggled. "Just a couple more changes: Leafa, have Yui on your shoulders if you could, and Sis, stand next to Mataras." It took the Cats a moment to realize that she meant Sachi, at which Mataras' eyes narrowed for a second in suspicion. _What was that all about?_

Nonetheless, Sachi did as she was asked, and the picture was taken by a grinning Yuuki. "All right!" she said as she put away her new photo in her inventory.

"Hey, Yuuki?" Sachi said as she approached her friend with a curious expression. "Why did you call me that?"

"Call you what?" the other girl asked, honestly confused.

"You called me 'Sis' when you wanted me to move," Sachi replied. "I don't mind- as a matter of fact, I kind of like it. But I was just wondering if there was particular reason for it?"

"I…" Yuuki gasped, paling rapidly. "I… Uh…" She cupped her face in her hands as tears began to fall from her eyes. "I have to go." She swiped her menu open, but before she could execute the logout function, Mataras hand shot forward and seized her wrist with an iron grip.

She went to protest and demand that he let her go, but when she looked into his eyes, she was shocked by what she saw. Tears were forming in his hard, dark eyes, an unfathomable sadness that few could understand. And Yuuki was one of those people.

"Now I truly understand," he said quietly. The others were silent as the tomb at the sight of Mataras crying. No one, not even Sinon, had seen him cry before. "When?" he asked, knowing that she would understand.

"O-One year ago," she said in a hoarse voice. "And you?"

"Four years ago," he replied as he released her arm. Sachi's eyes widened as it began to dawn on her exactly what they were talking about. Sinon saw the expression, and then she, too, understood what and who the two of them were talking about.

"And you aren't going to be quitting the virtual world voluntarily, are you?" Mataras asked quietly. This time, Yuuki looked over to her teammates, who all wore expressions of shock at the whole thing. When she looked back at Mataras, she nodded once.

"I am sorry," Mataras said, his head lowered and eyes now closed. "Truly, I am."

"Mataras, what's going on?" Kirito asked, concerned for his brother.

"I will not say, unless Yuuki grants permission," the Red Swordsman said as he wiped his eyes. "It's not my place to speak of her story."

"But-" Asuna began, only to be cut off by Mataras whirling around with fury glittering in his eyes. This was enough to convince her and those that hadn't pieced it together that pursuing the topic with him was not a good idea.

"Mataras, it's okay," Yuuki said softly. Stepping past him, she said, "If you want to know the truth about me and… my sister… Find the Midiki Board." Then she hit the logout function, and disappeared from New Aincrad.

Before any of the Cats could ask the other Knights what was happening, they all logged out as well. Everyone but Sinon and Sachi turned to Mataras with questions in their eyes, to which he turned away. "You heard her," he said brusquely. "If you want to know the truth, discover it for yourself."

"But what in the world is a Midiki Board?" Asuna asked.

"Hmm…" Kirito mused as he put his chin in his hand. "I think I've heard of that before… Oh, whoa." His eyes widened as something clicked in his head. He looked up at Mataras, who was still looking away from the group, up at the wall. "Is she-?"

"You said it yourself," the red-garbed warrior replied. "She's full-time."

"Oh man," Kirito said.

"Okay, somebody start telling me what the heck is going on!" Leafa demanded. "I hate being left out of things!"

Ignoring her, Mataras looked at Sachi and said, "The only missing piece is why she would use that technology in the first place."

"Then let's go find her and discover it for ourselves," Sachi said quietly. "Poor girl…"

"_What_ is a Midiki Board?!" Asuna demanded.

"All in due time," Mataras replied shortly. "You all can go ahead and start your search. But I have something I need to do first."

"What's that?" Sinon asked.

"I have a fight to finish," Mataras replied as he started to walk out.

"A fight?" Asuna asked as she looked at Kirito for an explanation.

The Black Swordsman simply face palmed and shook his head in disappointment. "Man, Mataras…" he groaned. "It just couldn't wait, could it?"

"What couldn't wait?" Leafa asked.

"I'm pretty sure he's gonna go fight Dragon Song," Kirito replied.

"Oh boy," Sinon sighed.

* * *

Kirito and Leafa logged out to start their research on the Midiki Board while Asuna said she needed to take of some things with her mother. Sachi and Sinon caught up to Mataras, who used his Kanohi Olmak to open a portal for the three of them as soon as he was outside the item-locked zone.

The portal lead to the only village on Voya Nui, the one safe zone on the entire island. It was here that Dragon Song had based himself, and where he was when the three Toa walked to the outskirts of town, just outside the safe zone. Walter was with him, and the first to notice the approaching team.

He pointed them out to his friend, who regarded the Toa of Aincrad warily. When they were within reasonable distance, he rumbled in his deep voice, "What brings you here, Mataras? I have yet to give you an answer."

"I've decided I don't need one," Mataras retorted. "I'm more ready to end this rivalry than I am interested in why it must continue." He removed his Kanohi Olmak, followed by the Vahi, and put them in his inventory. "There. No legendary masks. No ceremony and pomp, no massive crowds to witness. So let us end this battle, right here and now. "

Dragon seemed taken aback for a moment, but then he smiled and drew his scythe. "It'll be a pleasure," he said. "Finally, we shall see whose skill truly is the greater."

"Whoa, wait, time out!" Walter protested. "Are you telling me that you just sent me from Aincrad down here, only to decide that my message was pointless?!"

"That about sums it up, yes," Mataras nodded. "Why?"

"Man, you're a di-" His profanity was cut off by Mataras' sword- and the removal of his head. He vanished in a gust of wind, leaving behind only his heartstone.

"I was getting rather tired of his complaining," Mataras said callously. "I take it this does not concern you?"

"I don't take kindly to people attacking my comrades," Dragon growled menacingly.

"Good," Mataras said as he drew his fire blade. "Let's see just how badly you take it, then. Show me you skill, Dragon Song."

"Did… did Mataras just waste that guy so that Dragon would get angry?" Sinon asked as her and Sachi flew up to a safe distance.

"I think so," Sachi nodded.

"Man, that's cold…" Sinon said as she looked back at her fiancé.

"Ironic coming from a Toa of Ice," Sachi grinned.

"Touché," Sinon admitted.

"_Now_!" Dragon bellowed. "Show me the power that comes from Aincrad!" And he charged forward with surprising speed, his scythe coming back for a devastating blow.

Mataras activated his Calix and back flipped so that he landed on the massive weapon, causing it to change directions and plant itself in the dirt. Then he sprung forward, smashing his armored knee into Dragon's mask, knocking him back a few paces. He followed this up with an arc of fire that was hot enough to melt through stone.

Dragon saw it coming and used his mask of speed to dart out of the way and coming at Mataras from behind. Mataras reversed his sword grip and drove it into Dragon's stomach just before he was cut in half. Dragon responded by back fisting the Toa of Fire hard enough to send him sprawling.

Next was a barrage of stones that were sharp enough to pierce steel, but such an attack was easily countered by Mataras' mask of shielding. Dragon smirked, however and caused the ground beneath his adversary to shoot upward, breaking his concentration and sending him skyward.

The Red Swordsman snorted angrily and used his jets to shoot back towards the earth at top speed with the help of his mask of levitation to enable more precise flight movements. Dragon hurled a boulder, but Mataras slashed through it with a flaming blade. He landed hard and unleashed a river of fire at his opponent, who used his own mask of shielding to block the assault.

When he was done, Mataras lowered his sword and said, "You have indeed improved, Dragon. Well done."

"I'll accept your praise once I've ground you into dust," Dragon growled as he used his elemental powers to open a fissure beneath Mataras, who simply used his Kanohi Miru to stay aloft.

"However, you still lack one vital thing to defeat me," the Red Swordsman said in a bored tone. Then he jetted forward, slashing right through another boulder that Dragon hurled at him before smashing his fist into the heavily armored foe, and sending him reeling back another couple of paces. "Can you guess what it is?"

"No, nor do I care to," Dragon snapped as he used a mask of speed to dart forward and slash at the red Toa, scoring a solid strike on his chest, and forcing him to retreat a few paces. "I don't need your so-called wisdom to defeat you, Red Swordsman."

"True, nor do I intend to reveal my weaknesses," Mataras shrugged, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that his health had just been reduced by about a third. "I was simply curious to see if your mind is as sharp as your scythe."

"I am keen of both mind and body," Dragon snapped. "You know this. Otherwise, why would you agree to duel me? I simply don't want to waste time pondering questions to which I know I will not find the answer."

"Every question's answer can be found," Mataras replied sharply. "And _that_ is your weakness." The statement seemed to hold Dragon at bay for a moment, for he ceased his advance.

"Explain," he demanded.

"You are too narrow-minded," Mataras said with a small smile. "You must be aware that there is always another option, one that may lead you down a different path than you envisioned. But if you look in the right places, you will find that often the path laid down before you is better than the one you envisioned."

"I will determine my own destiny, not some random chance of fate," Dragon Song snarled, resuming his advance.

"You seem to think that it must be one or the other," Mataras said as he raised his blade in preparation to defend himself. "Can you not take into account that your destiny can be determined not only by you, but by a kinder circumstance than that which you see?"

"Stop talking and fight me!" Dragon roared, lashing out at his opponent.

Mataras sighed and shot upwards as he said, "If that is your wish…" He dropped back down and slashed Dragon's scythe in half. "I shall oblige you." He smashed the hilt of his blade into Dragon's stomach before kicking him back another few paces.

However, instead of pressing his advantage, he sheathed his blade and took a fighting stance with his bare fists. "Come," he said as his opponent staggered to his feet. "A true warrior masters combat even without a weapon. I'm interested to see how much of a warrior you are."

Dragon responded by engaging in a fierce series of blows that Mataras recognized as Taekwondo. He counted with his own style, based on the Karate from Okinawa. Both were clearly experts in martial arts, and it was only a short time before their armor began to crack from the sheer force of their attacks and counterattacks.

Then Mataras changed gears, blocking an overhand strike with a knife-hand technique before whirling around to the outside of Dragon's fist range and dropping to the ground in order to perform a leg sweep enhanced by fire. As soon as he got up to axe kick Dragon, though, the Toa of Stone thrust with a palm-hand technique and caused a rock to fly up from the ground and strike Mataras in the chest, giving him enough time to get to his feet.

At this point, both fighters were in the red zone, and one solid hit would do them in. Each one stood a few paces away from the other, wary of their every movement. Up above, Sinon thought, _Whichever of them lashes out first will be the loser._

Mataras eyed Dragon warily before taking a deep breath and saying, "The power of Aincrad is not carried by all that were trapped in the jaws of Sword Art Online. It lies in the hearts of those that learned to live life to its fullest, even unto the bitter end. This is my strength, Dragon. And the strength of those I call family.

"Yours is the simple desire to win. I remember the first man I ever saw die in Sword Art Online, and such motivation was his downfall. Unless you learn to control your greed, you will one day meet the same fate, I'm sure."

"I thought I told you to _shut up_!" Dragon roared as he sprang forward, a sharp stone in hand, ready to kill.

Mataras flicked out his sword and skewered Dragon. The Toa of Stone looked down in shock at the blade. "You… said you wouldn't…" The stone dropped from his now-powerless hand.

"Actually, I didn't," Mataras said dryly. "And I'm never interested in a fair fight, you should know. I'm interested to see that every fight I partake in is as unfair as possible- in my favor."

"You… cheater…" Dragon snarled.

"Not a cheater," Mataras grinned. "A beater. Now go on and reflect on the flaws of Diabel, so that you do not repeat his mistakes."

Dragon's eyes widened, even as his health bar nearly hit zero. "Diabel, you said?" he asked, his eyes alight with an emotion Mataras could not identify.

"Aye," Mataras nodded. "What of him?"

"That was my brother's avatar in the days of the beta testing," Dragon said, just before his health disappeared and he began to glow with virtual death. "You… met him?"

"I was there with him at the moment of his death," Mataras nodded, trying to contain his surprise. "Perhaps the next time we meet, I'll tell you about how he united the assault team."

"I would… be grateful," Dragon said as he shattered.

Mataras simply stood there, dumbfounded. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that he'd meet a family member of one the people from Sword Art Online, other than his closest friends. Looking up, he murmured, "You have a strange sense of irony… But thank you for bringing me to him. Perhaps he will find peace when he learns of the warrior his brother was up until the final battle."

Then he was greeted with hugs from Sinon and Sachi, and he put the thought away for later meditation. _Dragon will have to wait,_ he thought. _Right now there is another who needs help finding peace in the world._

* * *

**Kurogenei: Just wondering, am I gonna be featured in this story again?**

**Walter: I'm gonna ask the same question... Also, you cut off my head just to make Dragon mad?!**

**Mataras: Yes, yes, and... Yes.**

**Walter: Jerk.**

**Mataras: Well, what did you expect, for me to ask nicely for you to shut up? I'm the Red Swordsman!**

**Walter: That doesn't make it okay!**

**Kurogenei: Actually, he's the author, so technically if he says it's okay, it is okay.**

**Walter: Don't you start!**

**Mataras: _Silence_! ...Good, now I wish to tell my readers that this Christmas, I will be posting one final chapter on Star Sword, my SAO and Star Wars crossover in honor of both your continued support of my work and The Force Awakens. Until then, I bid you good health and happy reading.**


	40. Genesis

**A/N: Merry Christmas, all of you! Join me for a very special chapter in the soon-to-be-concluded Toa of Aincrad story! Herein, we shall see Mataras' very first moments in Aincrad, and how he reacted to the threat of death in Sword Art Online! Enjoy, and please leave a review!**

* * *

Genesis

Michael walked into Kazuto's room after knocking on the door to announce his presence. "Any luck finding out where the Midiki Board is?" he asked as he saw his brother at the computer.

"Actually, it's called a Midicuboid," Kazuto replied as he stood up. "And only one hospital uses it: Yokohama General North Hospital."

"I'm driving us," Michael said as he turned heel to walk out. "Sayuri and Shino are in the car already."

"Dude, it's like ten o'clock!" Kazuto complained. "Visiting hours are over by now! And we all have school in the morning! Can't this wait?"

"It could," Michael nodded. "But then my curiosity will keep me up all night, and I have no interest in losing a full night's sleep. Come or don't- the choice is yours."

"Man, I hate when you have your mind made up," Kazuto growled as he grabbed his jacket. "You always get me involved."

"As it should be," Michael said smugly.

* * *

The drive took about fifteen minutes with clear conditions and Michael's driving habits. "You know, I thought Kazuto was the crazy one on his motorcycle!" Sachi said nervously as Michael took a sharp turn and immediately downshifted to get his car moving again. "But you must have a death wish!"

"Hey, with all this horsepower, a guy has to gallop," Michael grinned as everyone shot him baleful looks. Ever since he had bought a dark red corvette, he had become a speed demon, Shino thought. Just as well Suguha had decided to stay behind- she would have been yelling at him to slow down, no doubt.

They managed to make it to the hospital without any major incidents, and they didn't get pulled over, so Michael ignored all the complaints of his passengers as he pocketed his keys with a grin. "You all have no sense of adventure," he said as they walked into the building.

"Floor thirty-one field boss?" Kazuto countered. "My idea."

"The Johnny Appleseed quest?" Sayuri chimed in. "My idea."

"All right, I get it!" Michael said as they approached the desk, where a tired-looking receptionist was regarding them with tired eyes. "We have other things to do right now. Hello, we would like to see a patient." He directed the request to the receptionist, who immediately shook her head.

"The only way anyone gets in at this hour is if it's an emergency," she said with a bored tone. "Come back tomorrow."

"Wait, so if I break his leg, will that count as an emergency?" Michael said with a wolfish smile as he jerked a thumb at Kazuto.

"Wait, why me?!" the boy protested.

"Well _clearly_ I'm not going to hit my fiancé or my sister," Michael replied with a roll of his eyes. "Also, I don't hit girls in the real world in general. That leaves you, buddy. Sorry, but it has to be done."

"I'm calling security," the receptionist said as she reached for a phone on the desk.

"If they're as awake as you, that'll just be boring to deal with," Michael sighed. "Look, we just want to know if you guys are using the Midicuboid here, and more importantly, if a girl named Yuuki is using it."

At that piece of information, the receptionists hand stopped just shy of the phone, and her eyes widened. Looking up at the four young people, she asked, "How do you know about that piece of tech? It's not on public record."

"We have our ways," Michael said cryptically.

"Please, ma'am," Sayuri said as she stepped forward. "Yuuki is the one that told my brother about it, and we just want to know what's happening to her. We're friends of hers."

The receptionist paused, looked down at some notes for a second, then said, "What are your names?"

"If she mentioned us, we're the Moonlit Black Cats," Michael said. "To her, I'm Mataras, the Red Swordsman." Normally it was taboo to mention your virtual identity to strangers, but he doubted that Yuuki would have any other ways of knowing them.

"I'm Sachi," Sayuri said quietly.

"My name is Kirito," Kazuto added.

"And I'm Sinon," Shino finished.

"Aren't there supposed to more of you?" the receptionist asked.

"They are all otherwise engaged at the moment," Michael said impatiently. "We are the only ones capable of coming at the moment."

The receptionist regarded them all silently for another moment, then reached for her phone again, but calling up what sounded like a doctor instead of security. When she got off, she said, "Wait in the lounge. Doctor Kurahashi will be down in a few minutes." Then she went back to looking down at her paperwork with a tired expression.

* * *

The doctor came down with a friendly smile to greet the group of young people. "Good evening," he said as they all stood. "You must be the Moonlit Black Cats. Yuuki talks about all of you a lot."

"We're about half of them, but yeah," Kazuto nodded. "I'm the leader of the guild."

"So you must be Kirito, then," Kurahashi guessed.

"Yeah, but out here, please just call me Kazuto," he replied. Gesturing to each of his teammates in turn, he said, "And this is Michael, Shino, and Sayuri."

"Good to meet you all," the doctor said with a slight bow, which they all returned. "Come with me, where we can talk in private." And he led them up to a lounge that normally only the doctors used, but since next to no one was around, he said it was fine that they hang out there. "So, tell me what you know about Yuuki," Kurahashi said as they sat down.

"Well, for starters, I'm the one that figured out that she was a full-time diver," Kazuto said when no one else spoke. "And I'm kind of hoping to someday design my own VR tech, so I keep myself up to date on the latest advances in full-dive gear, even if it's just rumors. Once I knew that she wasn't a normal player, I started snooping around to find out what kind of stuff let someone go full dive all the time. That's when I found out about the Midicuboid, which led me here."

"I also know that she lost a sibling," Michael interjected. "We share the same pain… I figured it out on accident, same as Kazuto. You can always tell through the eyes of a person, what their pain is…" He shook his head to clear the memories of those haunting red eyes.

"We just want to know Yuuki's story so we can help her," Sayuri said to fill in the pause. "We're her friends."

Kurahashi sighed heavily and said, "I appreciate the effort you're putting into this… And I'm glad that Yuuki likes all of you so much. But no one can help her now."

"Try these guys," Shino smirked. "They've beaten impossible odds before- twice, actually. I'm sure that whatever Yuuki's problem is, they can handle it."

"No pressure," Kazuto muttered.

"Well, unless they have a cure for a terminal illness, I don't think even they can help Yuuki," the doctor said tiredly. "And if they did have a cure, I would gladly take it for any price to save Miss Yuuki."

"T-Terminal?" Sayuri gasped. "She's…?"

"Oh man…" Kazuto said heavily as he looked down. "I knew the Midicuboid was something for hospitals, maybe a way to keep a patient under during surgery… I had no idea."

"What is she ailing from?" Michael asked bluntly as the others all tried to process what they had just been told.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Kurahashi prodded. "This is your last chance to save yourself some heartache."

"Heartache is my everyday companion," Michael shot back. "We have all dealt with too much death and heartache as it is. Let us at least have some closure, a little peace of mind." Then he turned to the others. "That is, unless anyone wants to leave?"

"No," Shino said with a shake of her head. "I'm here for you if nothing else."

"Yuuki's my friend, so I'm staying, too," Sayuri decided.

"If they stay, so do I," Kazuto nodded. "Let's hear it."

Kurahashi nodded in acceptance of their decision. "All right," he said. "Let me start from the beginning. For starters, the sibling you guessed at? She was actually Yuuki's twin sister, named Aiko, and she passed away from the same terminal illness that Yuuki's mother and sister suffered from.

"At birth, all three of them nearly died and needed blood transplants to survive. They survived, but unfortunately, the blood the doctors obtained was tainted by the HIV virus, which led to all of them developing the Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome."

"AIDS," Michael growled, fists tightening. He hoped that whomever had donated their blood had suffered dearly for taking the lives of two girls before their time had even begun on this earth.

"Yes, and unfortunately, Yuuki is the last of her family left alive," the doctor said sadly. "But, nearly three years ago, she volunteered to be the first person to try out the Midicuboid for clinical trial. It's essentially a full-dive rig that blocks all of a person's senses completely while they are immersed in the virtual reality."

"In other words, it blocks any pain they might be feeling," Kazuto concluded.

"Yes, that's the primary function of the device," Kurahasi nodded.

"My God…" Sayuri gasped. "How long did you say that she's been in there?"

"Nearly three years," Kurahashi replied patiently.

"That's around the same time that you guys got stuck in SAO, isn't it?" Shino asked her teammates.

"Aye," Michael nodded. "Truth be told, we still could have been in there quite easily… But she has been enduring the trap of the both the physical and virtual worlds, all this time… Truly, she earned the name Zekken."

"One of the functions of the Midicuboid is the allowance of Yuuki to talk to the staff in the real world while she remains plugged in," the doctor said. "Although sometimes I use an Amusphere to visit her in-game. Lately, all she's been talking about are you kids. I can tell that you've helped her in ways that maybe you don't even know."

"But we have no intention of the job half-finished," Michael said firmly. "If at all possible, we would like to see her. I get the feeling from our last virtual encounter that she won't see us until we've made the effort to find her here."

"Yes, she did say you'd try to visit her," Kurahashi smiled slightly. Then he stood up and said, "If you'll come with me, then." He led them out of the room without another word.

* * *

They were taken to a small room that had a large window which took up most of the front wall. Through the window, they could see a dimly lit room with a massive machine behind and hanging over a reclining bed where a painfully thin, pale figure could be seen lying on it. Her head could not be seen, as part of the machine was covering her face, but it was clear to the group who this was. Doctor Kurahashi said that he would wait outside unless they needed him.

"Yuuki…" Sayuri said softly as she placed a hand on the glass.

"Nice to see ya, Sachi," a familiar voice came in through an intercom-like device, startling the group. "I gotta say, I'm really surprised you found me so fast."

"She had the best help," Shino said, looking around to locate the source of Yuuki's voice. "Where are you?"

"Well, I'm actually on the bed, as you probably guessed," Yuuki replied. "But I can see you through a camera in the room you guys are all in. It's pretty easy to tell who is who- you all look a lot like your avatars! In fact, Kirito and Mataras look exactly the same!"

"Most of the Moonlit Black Cats do," Michael said as he looked up into the camera that Shino pointed out. "We know everything now, Yuuki. And I am deeply sorry for you."

"Nah, don't worry about it too much," Yuuki said cheerily, sounding more like herself from when the two guilds had first met. "Everybody's gotta go at some time. Some are just sooner than others, and we gotta do with the time we have, ya know? I'm just super-excited to really meet you guys!"

Michael smiled painfully. "You sound like my sister," he said.

"What, Sachi?" Yuuki asked.

The others looked askance at Michael, who slumped slightly, unsure of how he would react, even after all this time, when he prepared to talk about his sister. It was still a painful subject for him. But he simply kept up his smile as he straightened and replied, "No, not Sayuri. My sister that I spoke of earlier. Her name was Victoria."

"Oh…" Yuuki said. "Well… I'm flattered that you think that, Mataras."

"Michael is my name," he replied. "Kazuto is my brother, Sayuri is my sister, and Shino is my fiancé. And I know that Aiko was your sister's name."

"Yeah…" Yuuki's voice fell a bit again.

"And Sachi reminded you of her, didn't she?" Kazuto asked.

This time, the response took longer, but eventually, Yuuki said, "Yeah, she does. She was always so kind and quiet, looking out for me first… Sachi definitely has a bunch of that."

"I'm glad that you think of the good things your sister had when I'm around," Sayuri said, a tad awkwardly. "But I also wish it wasn't so painful for you."

"Well, like I said earlier, we just gotta live as best we can, even if we don't have a lot of time," Yuuki said with a smile in her voice. "And I think I've had a pretty good one, don't you think? I got to make new friends and have one last great adventure, ya know?"

"But…" Sayuri paused, not sure what to say now.

"Yuuki," Shino said, taking a step forward to look at the girl through the glass. "If you could do any one thing more with your life, what would it be?"

"I dunno…" the girl said after a moment. "I mean… I miss some things from the real world, but not really anything major."

"We're your friends, Yuuki," Kazuto said. "Name it, and we'll do our best to see what we can do for you." For several moments, the answer was silence, but the Moonlit Black Cats waited patiently for Yuuki to make up her mind.

Then: "Well… I haven't heard a bedtime story since my mom passed away," Yuuki finally said, sounding a little shaky. "Do you… Do you guys… know any good stories?"

Michael grinned while the others looked at one another, slightly taken aback by the request- it definitely wasn't one that they had expected. "Lucky for you, I happen to be an author," he said as he looked back up at Yuuki's viewing camera. "I can think if a story to tell. How about the story of the Red Swordsman of Aincrad?"

"You're gonna read her your book?" Shino asked, surprised.

"You're a writer?!" Yuuki asked. "Man, that's so cool!"

"I am," he nodded. "But I will tell you of the story of my first day in Aincrad- something that is not included in my novel. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yeah!" Yuuki said, and they could all hear the smile in her voice, which caused them to smile in turn. "Let's hear it!"

"Very well," Michael said. "This tale will begin in sorrow, but the light will eventually shine through. It all started in an orphanage, not too far from where we are now. I was sitting in my room, meditating…"

* * *

"Michael! You're up! Showtime!" My ears pricked in annoyance as Erak's voice touched them. I tried to ignore him, wanting to be left alone to my misery, but the bigger boy would not take silence for an answer. "Dude, you're not fooling anyone; I know you can hear me!"

"The prisoners of hell can hear you, and they are screaming over one another," I growled quietly to myself, hoping he would just go away. He did not.

"Get up!" the blond boy grinned as he grabbed me by the arm and hoisted me up, much to my aggravation. As soon as he got me standing, I stepped forward and behind him, using my leg as leverage and my hand to shove him in the chest so that he fell over. He hit the wooden ground with an audible _thump_ and looked up at me with a stupid grin on his face. "I knew you could hear me," he said as he got up.

"Leave me be," I scowled and tried to sit back down.

"Nope!" the other boy said cheerily. "Tybalt says you get the first go at SAO, and the launch is only ten minutes away!"

"Tybalt won our bet on Apocalypse," I snapped, still in a foul mood. "Let him have his fun. I'm not interested."

"Not interested? I call serious baloney on that, my friend," Erak laughed. "Come _on_, man! You've been more excited about this than any of us all year! You nearly punched Tybalt out when he won the match!"

"You know why I am miserable!" I snarled, rounding on him. "Stop trying to pretend that nothing is wrong! My entire _world_ was just taken from me, Erak, and I'm supposed to pretend that everything is all fine and good?! It's not! Nothing can ever be well in this world again! Not without her!"

Erak was stunned into silence for a moment as I sat back down on my bed and closed my eyes. Eventually, he said, "Well, maybe things can't be right in this world, man. And I'm sorry, I really am. I know it's nowhere near as bad for us, but we all miss her too, you know. And… We just want to see you smile again, even once. I know she would have wanted to see you smile." With that, he up and left with the words, "The NerveGear is waiting for you when you want it. Maybe a new world is what you need."

"I need to die," I said bitterly as he left. "If only I could be someone other than Michael… Perhaps then this pain could leave me… Or whatever is left of me." I sat there for several minutes before I got up of my own accord for the first time in days.

* * *

Through the black-lensed visor of the NerveGear helmet, I looked up at my friends, all of whom were smiling. "Let us know how it is in there once you get out, okay?" Daniel said as I closed my eyes.

"It probably won't be anything worth discussing," I muttered as I closed my eyes. "Link, start." And suddenly, I was rushing down a tunnel filled with blue light and lightning until I landed in a dark room where I could see only myself and nothing else.

Then a voice boomed around me, distinctly female, and somewhat friendly. "Welcome to Sword Art Online!" the voice said. "Your virtual reality experience will begin as soon as you have created your avatar." I rolled my eyes, wishing I could skip this part of the entrance, but I knew it had to be done.

I spent the next few minutes creating an avatar with similar build to my body in real life. When it came time for my hair to be designed, I set it to be even longer than my real body's hair length, allowing it to completely cover the left side of my face instead of just partially obscuring it. The color was blood red and my eyes were set to be maroon. I chose swords as my primary weapon class and finally logged.

"Good luck, Player!" the voice said once I had created my name. "Be safe out there!" Then I was falling again, this time down a tunnel where colors of every shade rushed past me in a dizzying display of brilliance. I 'fell' for a good for ten seconds before I finally had the sensation of standing on cobblestones underneath me.

I opened my eyes to be greeted by the sight of the virtual world, and many thousands of players that had come in to have a good time. We seemed to have been spawned in a coliseum in a place called the Town of Beginnings. I looked down at my new body, vision slightly obscured by my lengthened hair, before nodding in satisfaction and heading out, ignoring the people around me.

I looked around town for a little bit and began to wander through the sea of people, many of them chattering excitedly to one another about their new surroundings. Perhaps if _she_ had been with me, or at least waiting for my return, I might have taken more of an interest in my surroundings. But the only thing I paid any attention to was a small stall selling healing potions and basic weaponry.

I used my starting amount of col to pay for five health potions, as I knew I might need them later on. When I went to confirm that they had made it safely in my inventory, however, I noticed an item that I had not purchased. Using the examine function of my menu, I was intrigued to see that it was a rolled-up scroll, titled 'The Dragon's Blood'.

I used the summon function and unrolled the scroll as I walked into a back alley for some privacy. Up ahead, there were to young men, one with a straight sword on his back and the other with a sabre at his waist, but I paid them no heed. What held my interest was the scroll I had discovered, or more specifically, the words on it.

'Dear Player,' it began. 'You are the lucky one of ten thousand to wield the dragon's power. In your skill's list, you will find a skill titled 'Dragon Blood', which will grant you a freedom like no other in the game. Should you choose to accept the dragon's power, you will be able to use your weapon as you see fit, unrestrained by the skills that others must employ to gain their own strength… However, this also mean that you shall receive no aid from the patterns of this world. You will stand alone in your strength, or drown in your weakness. The choice is yours to make at any time.'

I stashed the scroll back in my inventory and opened up my skill's list. Sure enough, just as the message had said, Dragon Blood was waiting there, with a simple description. It read, 'Free-motion enabling skill. Disables all other attack skills when in use, but does not affect passive skills and effects.'

Frowning, I thought to myself, _Wonderful. I am in a game with some of the most hardcore gamers on the planet. If they found out I had this, they would demand to know how to obtain it for themselves._ Based on the part of the message that mentioned 'one in ten thousand', I felt it was safe for me to assume that the Dragon Blood skill would not be a common one.

_Then again…_ a better thought crossed my mind, though I did not smile. _An expert martial artist in a world where others are restrained by the system created? I might enjoy this…_

* * *

I spent much of the next few hours testing out my unique skill, finding that I liked it very much indeed. I stayed away from other people as much as possible as to avoid attracting attention and avoid having to interact with anyone at all. After nearly four hours of battling boars and other slimes, I looked up at the virtual sun, which was beginning to set.

Sighing quietly to myself, I decided that it was time to leave the world of Aincrad. _Blast you, Erak,_ I thought as I opened the menu. _Blast all of you. I was actually starting to have a good time…_ I was thinking of how to brush them all off convincingly and return to my isolation when I hit the logout button.

Or rather, where the logout button was supposed to be. My finger tapped the collapse button, and I was back at the main menu. Frowning, I opened the options menu again, looking more closely at my options, searching for the logout button- and not finding it.

_A bug_, I thought sourly. _Today is just my lucky day, is it not?_

Before I could open the Game Master Message option, I heard a loud bell gonging in the distance, and some instinct made me freeze. It gonged twice more, and then I was swallowed by a blue light, despite my angry protests.

When I could see again, I whipped out my sword and looked around to see who my enemy was. I was surprised when, instead of seeing a boss of some kind, I was surrounded by the multitude of players I had spent the day ignoring, all of them looking shocked and uncertain. I sheathed my blade just in time to become aware that the gonging had not stopped, and seemed to be coming from above.

I looked up at the sky to see a red panel with the word WARNING written on it. A young girl tried to sidle up to me as she asked, "Wh-what's that?"

"Well, lady, I do believe the locals call it a _hexagon_…?" I said without looking at her. "I am not entirely certain I'm pronouncing that right. Why don't I get back with you on that?" I ignored the profanity she offered as she stormed off, instead choosing to pay attention to the fact that the one hexagon was now multiplying into hundreds of thousands that stretched out to cover the coliseum that they had all spawned in at the beginning.

A cold stone of dread settled in my belly as what could only be described as blood began to drip down from between the panels and coalesce into a hooded form laced with lightning. When the last drop had fallen, a massive phantom was hanging over them, a creature with no face and shape, save for the massive red-and-golden-threaded robe it wore, along with a pair of white gloves that outlined its hands. Black smoke breathed out from where the head would have been, and a deep, echoing voice spoke.

"Attention, players," it said. "I welcome you… to my world." The players around me began to mutter among themselves in anticipation. Was this an event? Part of the launch? I ignored them and focused solely on the phantom above.

"My name is Akihiko Kayaba," he said in his sonorous, echoing voice. "And as of this moment, _I_ am in control of this world." My stomach clenched tighter at those words. "I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from your main menus," he said, ignoring the increased chatter. "The logout button." As if to demonstrate, he pulled out a giant menu and scrolled through it to reveal that there was indeed no such function present.

But what they all heard next only made me angry. "I can assure you, this is not a defect in the game." He paused to let it sink for a second, then said, "I repeat: this is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be. You cannot log out of SAO. And no one from the outside may attempt to remove the NerveGear from your head. If someone from the outside attempts to remove the NerveGear rig from you head, it will discharge a microwave signal into your skull, and end your life." I clenched my fists and ground my teeth in anger as the implications of where he was going began to sink in.

_We can't get out without his say-so_, I thought, frustrated. _We have to do what he says- we are nothing more than his puppe- No!_ I closed my eyes as painful memories flooded my mind, the last time I had felt so helpless. _No! I will be beholden to no mortal man! Never again!_

Before I could shout my rage while others began to voice their disbeliefs and try to leave the coliseum, Kayaba spoke again. "Despite my warning, the friends and families of several of the players have attempted to remove the NerveGear- an unfortunate decision, to say the least." He spoke as though he were discussing the weather in Alaska- bored and dismal. The tone infuriated me to the point where I began to shake with anger. "As a result, the game now has two-hundred-thirteen less players than when it began. They have been deleted from both the real and virtual world."

_Death… upon all of those unfortunate souls…_ I thought, my vision beginning to pulse red. _For the sake of… _what_?!_

"As you can see," the phantom-Kayaba said as multiple windows displaying the news of the incident appeared around him, seemingly in response to people's continued disbelief. "Media outlets have round-the-clock coverage of everything… including the deaths." He enlarged several that showed the body count and crying family members. "At this point, it is safe to say that the likelihood of the removal of a NerveGear is minimal at best. I hope this brings you a little comfort as you try to clear the game."

The last sentence stopped my rage cold. _Clear the game?_

"It is important that you remember the following," he said. "There is no longer any way to revive someone within the game. If your HP hits zero, your avatar will be deleted from the system. And the NerveGear will simultaneously destroy your brain.

"There is only one way for a player to escape now," Kayaba said after a long moment of dead silence from the crowd. "You must clear the game. Right now, you are all gathered on floor one, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you get through the dungeon and defeat the boss, you may advance to the next floor. Defeat the boss on floor one hundred, and you will clear the game."

_Now_ the crowd was riled up. "Why should we believe anything you say?!" a random player demanded.

"All one hundred floors!" another shouted. "Are you friggin' insane?! That's impossible! Not even the beta testers made it that high!"

"Ignoring them, Kayaba continued on to say, "Last, but not least, I've placed a little present in the item storage of every player. Please… have a look." The last three words had what I could have sworn were a challenging tone in them.

With sharp, angry movements, I opened my menu and jabbed at the first item I saw. Suddenly, I was holding a mirror that reflected the virtual face of Mataras. Looking up, I was about to hurl the item at Kayaba, but then a blue flash of light enveloped me, much like a teleport effect, but I did not feel myself moving.

When the glow had faded, I looked to see that I was still holding the mirror. But something was different. Instead of the face of Mataras the Swordsman, I saw the face of Michael the Coward. My brain suddenly stopped working as I realized that Kayaba had just taken away my only armor against myself.

"Right now, you're probably wondering why?" Kayaba's voice snapped me out of my stupor, and I looked up at him, despite myself. "Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of NerveGear, and inventor of Sword Art Online, do such a thing?" He paused, as if gathering his thoughts. "Ultimately, my goal was a simple one. The reason I created Sword Art Online was to create a world of my design. As you can see, I have achieved my goal." I grabbed the mirror with both hands and nearly enough force to shatter it in my fury.

_You dare to play God?! _I seethed in silence.

"This marks the end of the tutorial, and the official launch of Sword art Online," Kayaba said, and I had the feeling that he was about to leave. "Players, I wish you the best of luck." What struck me the most in that moment, however, was not that he began to disappear, vanishing into scarlet smoke, abandoning us to our fates. It wasn't the screams that filled the air. It wasn't the angry shouts, the wails of despair that held my attention. It was that Kayaba seemed sincere in his closing statement.

I closed my eyes, and allowed my arms to fall to my sides with deliberation, one hand still holding the mirror that had destroyed the image I wanted, the vision of what I wished to be. Then, slowly but surely, a smile crawled across my face. The first smile since the death of Victoria. And it was not a friendly one.

I opened my eyes, and in one quick motion, shattered the mirror by casting it on the ground with murderous force. I drew my sword and pointed it upward as I looked up at the afternoon sky, which was now free of the red hexagons.

"Trap me in here will you?" I said. "Let's just see if you're so high and mighty when you're at the end of my sword, Kayaba?" Then I turned and ran out of the town, shoving people out my way, the smile of a dragon on the hunt still on my lips.

_I will live by the law of the sword,_ I vowed as a wolf spawned a distance in front of me. "Get," I snarled as I readied my sword. "Get out." The wolf charged at me. "Of my." The mob leapt at me, ready to tear out my throat with its teeth. "_WAY_!" I slashed it in half perfectly, destroying it and not even pausing to check my drop list.

_I will die by the sword, or _he_ will, once I meet him, whether in this world or the next,_ I thought as I kept running. _That is the only way this world ends! Death!_ Looking up to the sky, I roared with power of the dragon sleeping within me.

* * *

"And thus I spent the first month alone in Aincrad, destroying any mob that I came across," Michael concluded. "Soon after, I met up with Kirito and Asuna to join forces against the first boss of the Death Game… But that is a tale for another time."

"Aw man!" Yuuki pouted. "It sounded like it was just about to get good!"

"It did, Yuuki," Michael said with a smile. He looked over at the sleeping forms of his friends, all seated in the chairs provided. He patted Shino's hand gently, his finger lingering on the ring he had bought her. "It very much did."

"Then tell me the rest!" Yuuki pleaded.

"Perhaps tomorrow," Michael said as he moved to rouse Kazuto first. "They all have school in the morning, so I should get them home. But if you so wish it, I shall return and continue the story of the Toa of Aincrad."

"I'd really appreciate that, Michael," Yuuki sighed. "Believe it or not, one thing I wish I could do is go back to school like those guys." Her words stopped Michael in his tracks and brought a bright smile to his face.

"School, you said?" he asked.

"Yeah," Yuuki replied. "I guess it's kinda weird, huh?"

"Not at all," Michael said as he looked up at the camera, straight into Yuuki's virtual eyes. "And I know someone who just might be able to make that happen."

* * *

**Kirito: Geez man, you kept me up too late! I'm never gonna make it through class!**

**Mataras: Oh, shut up, you fell asleep just fine.**

**Sachi: Guys, we're not here to argue, remember?**

**Asuna: Yeah, you can;t get along for once?**

**Kirito/Mataras: We always get along!**

**Asuna: Uh huh...**

**Sachi: Well, can we geton to why we're all here at least?**

**Litrosh: We of the Moonlit Black Cats-**

**Yui: The one's from Aincrad, anyway.**

**Litrosh: Would like to wish each and every one of our readers a Merry and Blessed Christmas.**

**All: _Merry Christmas, everybody_!**

**Kirito: This story has been a lot of fun!**

**Asuna: And we'll be sad to say goodbye...**

**Sachi: But come three more chapters, and we will have to take a bow.**

**Mataras: However, the spirit of this story will never end.**

**Litrosh: Soon after, this legend will be reborn.**

**Yui: When we return in the Red Swordsman: Slayer of Aincrad!**


	41. Making Peace

**A/N: Okay, time for an announcement I think you'll enjoy/hate! I will be releasing one chapter a day for this story for the next two days- meaning I aim to have this finished by the New Year. Although the parting will be bitter, as I consider this story to be my grand masterpiece on FanFiction as of yet, 2016 will usher in a new age!**

**Please be sure to review, but be nice about hating on the fact that this story is coming to an end, please? I don't want our final chapters to be remembered as angry ones. Bt for now, please enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Making Peace

"Okay, how's that?" Kazuto asked into the shoulder-mounted camera. "Is that clear enough for you?"

'Inside' the device was Yuuki, who had volunteered to test out Kazuto's experimental technology that would be Yui' gateway into the real world one day. Sayuri had asked to be the one to wear the camera, so that she could carry her friend with her as she attended school once again.

Asuna would also be with them some of the time, as she and Sayuri shared several extra-curricular classes, despite being in different grades. Yuuki was ecstatic about returning to school, despite the unusual method of attendance.

"Yeah!" the girl replied to Kirito. "Thanks for doing this, Kirito."

"Thank you for volunteering," Kazuto grinned. "Just be sure to call me Kazuto out here, remember. And Sayuri, remember to try not to move around too fast- the calibration might come apart since I'm still experimenting with it."

"Sorry, Ki- Kazuto," Yuuki said sheepishly.

"I'll be careful," Sayuri assured him. The bell rang, and the two of them stood up to go. "Will you be heading out with Michael later today?"

"Yeah, since I'm the best man, I gotta help him figure which tux to get," Kazuto sighed. "See you at lunch, Sayuri. Later, Yuuki."

"Bye!" they both said as Kazuto walked away, already lost in his thoughts.

"C'mon, let's get going!" Yuuki said excitedly.

"You're pretty eager," Sayuri said with a smile as she headed to her home economics class, where she would meet up with Asuna, Rika, and Keiko. "I don't know that I've ever met anyone that's as excited about school as you, Yuuki."

"Well, it's been a while since I've been able to learn something new, ya know?" Yuuki said. "It'll almost be like a whole new experience again."

"I'm just glad that you're happy again," Sayuri replied with a soft smile. "You know, Michael believes that the most important thing you can do for a family member is to make sure that they can be happy, no matter your own troubles at the time."

"Well, you take after your brother in that area," Yuuki said as they entered the room. "He's kind of a jerk a lot of the time- no offense. But I can tell that he cares about all of you a lot, and that's cos he acts on it."

Before Sayuri could reply, Asuna waved the pair over to her table with a welcoming smile. Rika and Keiko were also waiting to greet them, so Sayuri moved over to join them as quickly as she could without jostling Yuuki too much.

"Hey girl," Asuna said as Sayuri sat down. "Did Kirito get it working?" Sayuri had to smile at her friend. No matter how many times she was reminded to call her boyfriend Kazuto, she always ended up using the name that she had known him by when she married him.

"You know it!" Yuuki piped up cheerily. "Your boyfriend's a genius, Asuna! At first I thought you were way out of his league, but he's so nice and smart- I can see why you'd date him now."

Asuna turned beet red, which caused Rika to snigger and Keiko to smile at her discomfort. "Well, uh…" Asuna said, not certain of how to respond. "He kind of… grew on me after a while, I guess."

Before anyone could press her on the subject, the teacher called the class to attention. The conversation was put on hold, and even Yuuki fell quiet as she awaited what the teacher had to say.

* * *

Although she started out a bit awkwardly, Yuuki was well-received by Sayuri's classmates. She was eager and quick to learn, and the teachers were understanding about Yuuki's condition, thanks to Asuna contacting them beforehand. And Yuuki was actually able to even impress the linguistics teacher with her grasp on English.

At lunch, the girl were joined by Kazuto, who asked Yuuki how her first day back at school was. She was all too eager to relate her lessons to the Black Swordsman, going on about how nice everyone was to her and how much fin it was to be learning again.

"Sounds like she's having a good time," Kazuto said to Asuna as they walked to the library for a study period. "I'm glad the camera's working out for her."

"Me too," Asuna smiled. "I thought she was already a regular bundle of joy, but now she's even more pumped up than I've ever seen her."

"Yeah," Kazuto agreed. Then he was struck by another thought. "Hey, Asuna… How are things with your mom? I know you two were having problems."

Asuna's face shadowed over slightly as she said, "Yeah… But I'm gearing up to talk to her. I just need a little more time before I decide exactly what I want to say."

"Okay," Kazuto nodded as he squeezed her hand for a second. "You know I'm always here for you, right? We'll even run off to America if you want." His smile indicated that he was kidding, but Asuna also knew him well enough to know that part of him was being serious. He really would do anything for her, and the thought warmed her heart enough that she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, Kirito," she said as he blushed. "But let's not plan on anything so drastic yet, okay?" He nodded his agreement, and then they were in the library. Pushing aside thoughts of their future together for the moment, they got ready for their study session.

* * *

In the weeks that followed, much happened for the Moonlit Black Cats. Michael and Shino's wedding drew closer by the day, and Asuna finally made peace with her mother by showing her the wonders that the virtual world had to offer, thanks to the advice given to her by Mataras, Yuuki, and Kirito. It wasn't precise to say that they had an easy relationship now, but they were definitely getting along better than they had in years.

Sayuri was busy with helping Shino plan for the wedding, even as Kazuto made preparations with Michael. Klein was set up to be the groomsman while Asuna would be a bridesmaid, so they helped too, on top of their normal day-to-day activities. Yuuki was with them most of the time as they made their plans, occasionally putting out ideas that were often taken into consideration.

The doctors said that while Yuuki's condition wasn't exactly improving, her general health seemed to have stabilized a little bit ever since she was given access to the real world with Kazuto's technology. Michael asked why this was during one of his visits, and Kurahashi told him that a happy person was more likely to be healthier than someone under depression.

Another thing Yuuki enjoyed was hearing about the adventures of the Moonlit Black Cats in the days of Old Aincrad. When Michael related the story of how he and the others had defeated the first floor boss, he did it in-game so that Dragon Song could join them for the session and learn about his brother's final moments.

The large Toa thanked Mataras for sharing the tale with him, saying that while he wished that he could have been there with him, the story would help him find some closure. Other than that tale, however, Michael mostly talked to Yuuki alone, or with one or two of the other Black Cats with him.

When he got to the part about Death Kanoka, Shino would join him often, sometimes filling in details, but mostly listening to her future husband's point of view on the vents that had transpired. It took him nearly a month of visits, but by mid-February, Yuuki knew the whole story of the Moonlit Black Cats. Telling the story reminded Michael of some old wounds, but telling the full tale to Yuuki seemed to bring him some measure of peace in the end.

* * *

Soon after, there was the second annual New Aincrad tournament, in which many players competed, including Kirito and Mataras. In the semi-finals, the two brothers faced off against each other, grinning from ear to ear.

"I guess this'll be the first time we've ever actually fought one another," Kirito called out from across the field. "Dragon Blood versus Dual-Wielding."

"Aye," Mataras said, whirling his blade into position. "I am looking forward to see who emerges as the victor."

"That's gotta be the first time I've heard you be uncertain about you winning," Kirito said as he took his own stance. "Feeling nervous, Brother?"

"Against the Conqueror of Aincrad himself?" Mataras chuckled. "I'd be stupid not to feel apprehensive. You were the strongest player I ever knew- Now I wonder if that has changed." Then there was no more talking as they waited for the timer to sound off.

Kirito was the first to move at the sound of the bell, springing forward at lightning speed to unleash a twelve-hit combination on Mataras, who barely parried each rapid-paced blow. Mataras was the faster of the two of them, but he didn't like being on defense, especially because Kirito's strength stat shaded his by a few points.

Leaping backwards, Mataras moved out of the way just in time for Kirito to jam one of his blades in the dirt, giving him an opening to strike. He went to sever Kirito's hand, but he only managed to give him a large scratch on his forearm that barely dented his health. In the newest updates for New Aincrad, there was no penalty for missing an attack or having it successfully blocked, which explained why Kirito could move even after his failed attempt at an attack. Still, a start was a start, and Mataras thought that he was doing nicely enough.

That changed very quickly when Kirito scored a solid hit through his defenses with a combo called Thrash, a seven-hit combo that was probably Kirito's fastest move. Mataras' health was drained by about one-fifth, and he grimaced at the sight.

"Not bad, bro," Kirito grinned as his swords lit up to be light blue. "But I think we both know that two sword are going to beat one any day of the week." Mataras instantly recognized the Starburst Stream attack, and he began to sweat as he readied his countermeasure.

He dodged the swords as best he could, but he was still injured to the point that more than a third of his health was gone when he made his move. At one point in Kirito's favorite attack combination, the swords would cross in an 'X' pattern as they came up to carve huge gashes in his enemies. Swinging with all of his might, Mataras smashed his sword into Kirito's with an overhand strike, locking the three blades in place, and stopping the combo just before it could connect with its final- and most powerful- blow.

Then he lifted his sword so fast that it was just a blur while Kirito tried to reconcile the fact that his best attack up to this point had been blocked before swinging it behind his body and slamming it upwards into the swords he had just stopped a moment ago, causing him to nearly lose his grip on his black sword and sending the blue one flying far from Kirito's grasp.

Now Kirito was the one to be on the defensive as Mataras unleashed his brutal swordplay, scoring several hits and causing Kirito to realize just how overconfident he had been.

However, the shock soon wore off, and Kirito began to retaliate. Although some people had forgotten, the Black Swordsman had been a renowned player, even before he had obtained his Dual-Wielding skill. Now he began to remind those that had survived Sword Art Online just how skilled he was, even with one sword.

It was safe to say that the fight was more even now, but that didn't stop either players from trying to beat down the other with everything they had. They were both experts in the Law of the Sword, and this was the showdown to see which of them had the right to declare themselves as the master of the law.

There was only a minute left on the clock when Kirito impaled Mataras and dropped his health down into the yellow zone, just above the red zone that would disqualify him. Mataras leapt back before he could take any more damage and clutched his chest while looking down at the virtual wound.

When he looked up again, his eyes were glowing silver, and Kirito knew what that meant- serious trouble. "Let him cut you with words, and you cut into his skin," Mataras said as he advanced, sword held low at the moment. "Let him cut into your skin, and you pierce his flesh." He was only a few yards away, and Kirito braced himself for a vicious offensive. "Let him pierce your flesh, and you cut into his bones." The Red Swordsman's voice was growing louder now. "Let him cut into your bones… _And you take his life_!"

Then the terrible offensive that Kirito had been expecting came, so fast and powerful, he couldn't do anything but try to parry as he was cut and wounded over and over again. He realized that he shouldn't be surprised- Mataras always took every fight seriously, whether it was for fun, or a life-and-death battle.

So it was that in the second before the buzzer went off that Kirito's sword was knocked aside, but still in his hand. However, instead of moving it back to try and block the last blow, the Black Swordsman simply smiled and let his brother run him through, dropping him into the red zone just as the buzzer went off.

Mataras yanked his blade out in surprise as the assembled crowd roared its delight, most of them oblivious to the fact that Kirito had essentially forfeited the match. Looking at his brother, Mataras tried to find an answer in his obsidian eyes for why he had let this happen. In those friendly eyes, he saw a message that said, '_I was forced to become a warrior by circumstance. You always had it in you._'

* * *

In between matches, the Black Cats congratulated Mataras on his victory and praised Kirito for his efforts in trying while Silica and Lisbeth stayed behind to keep their party's seats occupied. Kurogenei sent the video that he had recorded to both of them, which they appreciated. Leafa told her cousin that she was very proud of him for making it this far, which meant a great deal to him. Yui and Asuna also told Kirito that they were proud of him, but Mataras could tell that they had guessed at him throwing the match.

Shino, of course, was delighted that her betrothed was advancing to the final round, as was Sachi. Litrosh also voiced his congratulations, encouraging his former master to excel in the final round- though only Mataras understood him in his dragon form.

As they waited for the next round to begin, a pair of figures walked into their midst, and not unfamiliar to them. "Dragon, Walter," Mataras said in greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to wish you luck," Dragon Song rumbled as he shook hands with his former rival. "I just lost to your next competitor, Zekken." This in no way surprised the Black Cats and Kurogenei.

"I hope she pounds you," Walter muttered sourly, obviously still irritated at Mataras from their last encounter. "From what I've heard, she's never lost a fight."

"Look, Walter, I owe you an apology," Mataras sighed, surprising everyone there, especially the green-haired boy that normally played as a Toa of Air. "I was having a stressful day, and I took it out on you. For that, I am sorry."

"Well…" Walter faltered, not sure how to respond. Eventually, he said, "Just don't do that to me again. Or anyone else, for that manner."

"You have my word, I will not behead people unless I am engaged in a fair duel with them," Mataras replied. "Is that to your satisfaction?"

"Close enough," Walter sighed. "But this doesn't make us friends, got it?"

"If you so choose," Mataras nodded. "I can respect that." Before Walter could reply, an announcement echoed in the room, telling the contestants that they had five minutes to reach the field. "That's my cue," the Red Swordsman said. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," everyone chorused, even Walter. And so Mataras left with a smile on his face, ready to finally challenge Yuuki on even terms.

* * *

Yuuki was waiting as Mataras stepped onto the field, eliciting a roar of excitement from the crowd. The two of them waved at their fans, Mataras stone-faced and serious, and Yuuki warm and cheerful. When they were ready, the countdown began, and they drew their blades.

"Tell me," Mataras called out. "Is it on your list to be the victor in this tournament?"

"If I say yes, will you forfeit?" Yuuki grinned.

"No," Mataras smirked back. "Though I might be inclined not to go insane as is my wont in the heat of battle."

"Ya mean like you did with Kirito?" Yuuki replied. "Well anyways, the answer is no. I wanna fight you with no bars held. Give me your best, Toa of Aincrad."

"I expect the same of you, Zekken," Mataras finally smiled all the way, albeit a dangerous smile. And once again, the timer went off, signaling the two players to begin the match anew.

Mataras moved first, feinting at Yuuki's leg then shifting his attack to strike at her abdomen, but she parried it by sweeping her rapier across her body before whirling around to activate a sword skill that made her blade glow purple. Mataras dodged backwards, mindful of her unique ability to paralyze her opponents if she got enough consecutive strikes in.

They exchanged a series of blows, but they were matched in speed so much that neither one of them could get a hit on the other. It lasted for several minutes, and by this time, both of them were panting from exhaustion.

"Well…" Mataras gasped. "You're a lot harder to get at than I thought."

"Same to you," Yuuki replied. "I can see why you were able to beat my guild the way you did, even if you did have the mask of time."

"And I can see clearly how you earned the title of the Absolute Sword," Mataras replied, repaying the compliment. Then it was back to trying to gain the upper hand, with no success.

Mataras racked his brain as he saw that there was less than a minute left in the fight. He thought back to all of his previous fights, concentrating on the ones that had changed his life the most. In his fight to save Sachi, he had cast his sword at a monster that nearly killed her, giving her enough time to retaliate and hold them off until he was able to reach her. In his fight to help Asuna get away from the Knights of the Blood-Oath, he had used his opponent's shield against him. And his final fight in Sword Art Online, he had sacrificed himself, but then taken his revenge indirectly.

And suddenly, he knew what to do.

Smiling to himself, he leaped as far back as he could before throwing his sword right at Yuuki, much to her surprise, and the shock of everyone watching. What was the Red Swordsman up to now? He was weaponless!

But what his comrades knew better than anyone else was that Mataras himself was a living weapon. So as Yuuki batted the sword away at the last second, she flinched involuntarily, and by the time she had regained her composure, Mataras was right in her face. He slammed his fist into her abdomen, not dealing much health point damage, but more importantly, winding her badly.

As she doubled over, she stabbed him in the foot, draining more of his health than he had damaged her, and the crowd gasped as they saw that there was only five seconds left- which was all the time that Mataras needed. Grabbing the hilt of her blade, he yanked it out of her grasp, much to her surprise, and brought the blade down to bury it in her back before she could stand up. Her health drained by a significant amount just as the buzzer went off. She looked up in shock to see that she had lost by a small margin of points- nearly imperceptible to most, but clear enough to the trained eyes.

And to confirm it, Mataras' avatar image was displayed as the victor of the tournament, even as he removed the sword and gave it back to her, causing most of the crowd to roar with approval, but the rest were silenced by the fact that Toa Zekken, the undefeatable swordswoman, had lost to the reclusive Toa of Aincrad.

In response to the announcement of his victory, Mataras grabbed Yuuki's and lifted it as high as she could go. "To the greatest sword maiden in all of Aincrad!" he shouted to be heard as the camera zoomed in on him. "To Yuuki!"

_Now_ all of the crowd was excited at the display of sportsmanship. As Mataras' family came out onto the field, they were followed closely by the Sleeping Knights. Both teams congratulated Mataras on his victory, with Litrosh landing on his friend's head, though they also praised Yuuki on her efforts to defeat him.

"I don't know of anyone that could have made the match that close," Asuna said as she patted Yuuki on the shoulder. "Nice job, Yuuki."

"Thanks, but I thought Kirito did a pretty good job at thrashing him, too," Yuuki giggled.

Mataras simply smiled and pulled up his menu, which now had new items in it for his victory in the tournament. "Here," he said as he handed Yuuki a beautiful golden sword. "This wasn't in Sword Art Online, but it was decided that adding some new swords was not a bad idea."

"Wait, this is Excalibur!" Yuuki gasped, her eyes wide. She tried to hand it back, saying, "I can't take this! It's yours, you won it!"

"And I'm free to do with it as I wish," he said with a smile. "Take it in remembrance of our duel- one of the best one's I've ever had. You deserve it."

"Just take it, Yuuki," Siune encouraged her leader. "He's right- if anyone should have it, it's you. You've worked the hardest out of any of us."

"Well… Okay," she sighed, giving in. She immediately equipped the sword, replacing her old black-purple one, admiring the balance of it. "Thanks, Mataras."

"Think nothing of it," Mataras smiled. "Tell me though, Yuuki. Have you found what you were looking for in this world?"

It took Yuuki a moment to consider the question before she finally gave a slow nod. "Yeah," she said with a small smile. "I don't have any regrets now. Neither in this world, or the real world. I'm content- at peace."

"I am glad," Mataras said with a smile.

"We all are," Sachi added. "We're glad that you've managed to live this life to the fullest."

"But there is one thing that we'd like for you to do, if it's okay," Sinon said.

"Name it," Yuuki replied.

"We want you to be there for our wedding," the sniper said as she smiled at her fiancé. "Think you can do that?"

"When is it?" Yuuki asked.

"March eighteenth," Mataras replied.

"Then I'll be there for sure," Yuuki grinned. "I look forward to it."

* * *

**Kirito: So, are you going to clear up what kind of crossover you and I are going to be doing next, and what time period it's in?**

**Mataras: All right, I suppose it is time to clear that up. So here it is: Beginning January 1st, 2016, Kirito and I will be featuring in a Sword Art Online/Fairy Tail crossover. The time period it will occur in is essentially a rewrite of the Alfheim arc, though this time I will not be incorporating the Phantom Bullet plot. That was a one-time deal, and I'm glad that I got to pull it off. But I can't do it again, otherwise that would simply be redundant. Although, if it makes a difference, a Laughing Coffin member will be making an appearance in a brand-new way. It might also interest you to know (in case you didn't already) that the ship next time around will be called the Red Leaf (MatarasxLeafa).**

**Kirito: Will there be any changes to the Aincrad arc?**

**Mataras: If you've read the first fifteen chapters of this story (in addition to Mataras' first day in Aincrad- covered in the previous chapter- which will be put in as the first chapter next time around), you will be good to skip straight to chapter seventeen of my next story. So no, there won't be any changes to the chapters.**

**Asuna: Wait a second. Doesn't it seem kind of repetitive to put all fifteen- sorry, sixteen- chapters in this new story? Why not just skip ahead?**

**Mataras: Because I don't want to force new readers to seek out the first arc if they don't want to. I'd rather have the complete story available for them to enjoy instantly.**

**Sachi: That makes sense, I guess. But when will the first chapter be out for the new story?**

**Mataras: Actually, I have it all ready to go so I can release it on New Year's day along with the first arc.**

**Asuna: Will we get to see a preview of the next story?**

**Mataras: Yes, I will include one after the last chapter of this story, though I will likely remove it once the new story has been established.**

**Sachi: And what's it being called again?**

**Kirito: Slayer of Aincrad. This time around, it'll be me and Mataras busting you and Asuna out of the game called Inner Magic Online.**

**Asuna: What'd I ever do to you, Mataras?! Why do I have to be the damsel in distress again?!**

**Mataras: I wanted to show more of Kirito and my relationship as brothers, so it simply worked out that way. Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it.**

**Kirito: Well, this segment is getting pretty long, so I think we'd better call it a night.**

**Mataras: Agreed.**

**Sachi: Sleep sounds good.**

**Asuna: Fine, but you haven't heard the last of this, Mataras.**

**Mataras: Fine by me. Good night, everyone.**


	42. The Big Day

**A/N: Hello again! As promised, here is today's chapter- and the second-to-last installment in this epic adventure. Tomorrow, I will post the final chapter in this original crossover. But today, I reveal a chapter to which I have spent a great deal of time anticipating. I'm sure you can guess at what is about to go down from the chapter title, but if you can't, well... Read on!**

**Please be sure to leave a review, whether you're a new reader or a seasoned veteran! Enjoy!**

* * *

The Big Day

Kazuto Kirigaya grinned to himself as he unlocked the door to Michael's house. Today would be one of the most important in the Moonlit Black Cat's history, and he couldn't wait to get started. He knew that Michael would have been up for hours by now, knowing how tense he could get whenever-

Kazuto looked into Michael's room to see that he was fast asleep.

Shaking his head in disappointment, the younger boy left the room, an idea forming in his mind at how to take advantage of the situation. Michael was a notoriously light sleeper- though he had mentioned that he was finally sleeping easier- so this might be his one chance to do something to his best friend and brother in all but name.

When he returned, he had a bowl full of ice-cold water. He had to struggle not to laugh to himself as he prepared to slip Mataras' hand into the bowl, eagerly anticipating the look on Mataras' face when he realized that he had been the victim of a practical joke. He was delighted to find that Michael still usually slept with of his hands hanging off the bed, which saved him the trouble of getting the hand out of the comforters.

Just as he was about to put his hand in the bowl, Michael growled, "Try anything with that, and you'll receive much worse in return." Kazuto stumbled back in slight surprise- Michael hadn't even opened his eyes. Then again, he might have heard him moving around the house…

"You're slipping," Kazuto replied as he set the water bowl on the drawer Michael had next to his bed. "A year and a half ago, you'd have slugged me."

"Well, I'm in a good mood today, Michael mumbled as he sat up. "Though I can't for the life of me remember why… Eh, I'm sure I'll remember after breakfast."

That was the last straw for Kazuto. Grabbing the bowl again, he splashed the water straight on Michael's face, shocking him with the cold and fully waking him. And he was _not_ happy about it.

He grabbed Kazuto by the collar as he shouted, "Give me one good reason not to cave your face in during the next five seconds!"

"You're getting married today," Kazuto replied with a slight smirk. Michael's eyes widened as he sat back down, the impact of Kazuto's words hitting him like a hammer. "You're welcome," his brother said as he straightened his shirt. "Now get up- we've got things to do."

"I'm getting married…" Michael repeated. "How did I forget that?"

"You spend too much time around me," Kazuto replied with a chuckle. "Now let's get you up and moving. You're not getting married soaking wet in your pajamas. Get up, get in the shower, I'll make something for breakfast while we wait for Klein to get here."

"Sounds good," Michael said as he staggered out of bed and headed for the shower. As soon as he was under the running hot water, his nerves began to settle a bit. As the steam rose up around him, his mind wandered back to some of the events that had led to this day…

* * *

"Mom, this is my boyfriend, Michael," Shino said nervously as Michael bowed slightly from the waist to her mother in a gesture of respect. "He's the one that I wrote to you about." The three of them had decided to meet in a local café favored by Shino.

As Michael rose up from his bowed position, Maka Asada eyed the young man as if trying to determine if he were safe or not. After a moment of silence, Michael was the first to speak, saying, "It's an honor to meet your, Mrs. Asada."

"The pleasure is mine," she said as she smiled weakly. It was easy for Michael to see the family resemblance between her and her daughter, as they shared similar hair coloring and height, though their builds were different, with Shino being a bit slimmer than her mother. She was a fragile character, Michael thought, though he knew the reason why. Before deciding to introduce them, Shino had explained how her father had died in a car accident from internal bleeding. This had caused her mother great emotional stress and as a result, she had become rather unstable, arguably even more than her daughter. "Shino talks about you a lot," the older Asada continued.

"The same goes for you," Michael said with a pleasant smile as he pulled out a chair for Maka to sit in. Her eyes widened in surprise at the gesture, but she sat down quickly enough. Michael made sure to do the same for his girlfriend before taking a seat himself.

"So… How did the two of you meet?" the older woman asked. "Shino mentioned that you met in the virtual world during some kind of tournament, but I haven't heard the full story."

Both of the young people shifted a little uncomfortably, Shino more than Michael. However, she was the first to answer the question. "Well… We actually kind of started off hating each other-"

"I didn't hate you," Michael interjected.

"You hate every other thing you see, and I know I was on that list," Shino shot back. "In any case, we eventually partnered up to help one another in the tournament, for different reasons, but we made a good team. But about midway through…" Shino shuddered at an unpleasant memory, so Michael picked up the slack.

"Are you familiar with the story covered a few months back concerning a few deaths that were originally thought to involve what was thought to be in-game murders?" When Maka said that she had, Michael continued on to say, "We were in the thick of that entire mess. Shino was targeted by the murderers, calling themselves 'Death Kanoka'. I saved Shino's life, as I felt responsible for the whole thing. And I have an obligation to protect those that I team up with."

"Why did you feel responsible?" Shino's mother asked. Here Michael fell silent.

"The murderers started their sick games in Sword Art Online," Shino answered for her boyfriend. "Michael and a few of his comrades led a raid on the murder guild… A lot of them were killed in the process, but a few escaped, and two of them became Death Kanoka alongside… Shinkawa."

Maka's eyes widened as she said, "Your friend was involved…?"

"He's mad," Michael scowled. Under his breath, he added, "Lock him up in a padded cell… I'd have put him in jail." Shino put a hand on his back and massaged the tense muscles, causing him to calm down a bit.

"Did he hurt you, Shino?" Maka asked worriedly.

"Not too badly, thanks to the guy sitting next to me," Shino replied with relief. "He attacked Shinkawa just as I was about to be assaulted. It cost him a serious injury to his head, but he managed to subdue Shinkawa before he was hospitalized."

"And… does he know about…?" Mrs. Asada couldn't bring herself to say it, but the younger people knew what she was referring to.

"He knows," Shino nodded. "And he's helped me get past it. I can't say that I'll ever be completely over it, but Michael has definitely helped… More than any counselors have."

"How did you do that, Michael?" Maka's eyes lit up with the most eagerness that Shino had seen from her in a long time.

Michael hesitated again, looking to Shino for an answer. When she nodded once, Michael turned to face her mother with steel in his eyes. "You may not like what I have to say next, but it is the truth, plain and simple," he said. "I once killed to protect those that I cared for." When Maka said nothing, he elaborated by saying, "Those murderers we spoke of earlier? They were called Laughing Coffin in the original Aincrad. The raid that wiped out forty of their fifty was originally my idea- I couldn't stand by as they killed innocents for money, and worse, fun. So I did what I had to, much like Shino did to protect you." Done explaining himself, he waited for her response.

It wasn't long in coming. "So you found someone that understands you," Shino's mother said to her. "Is that why you care for him?"

"Partly," Shino admitted. "But most of it is that I could tell that he cared about me a lot more than anybody had in a long time, even though we had only recently met. He has a sister, see, and he though he treated me a little differently, I noticed that once we spent more time together, he treated me with the same level of kindness as he did her, if not more so.

"To be honest, I treated him pretty terribly at first, but he fought as hard as he could for me anyways. I've never had anyone put their life on the line for me, Mom. That's why I care about him so much."

Maka looked at Michael anew, as if assessing him again. When she spoke again, she said, "I'd like to meet up with you some more, Michael. But for right now, I think that your heart and company are good for my daughter…"

* * *

"Okay, what are doing at the mall?" Kazuto complained. "Asuna takes me here often enough as it is, so why are you dragging me around?"

"Because…" Michael said as he took a sharp turn into a jewelry store. "I'm going to need somebody's help in picking out a ring for Shino."

"Hah?!" Kazuto's jaw dropped. "You're gonna… What?!"

"Propose?" Michael replied. "Pop the question? Bend the knee? Yes, I am." He started looking down into some of the cases that had rings on display.

"But…?" Kazuto's mind was still reeling from the shock of the fact that his best friend- his brother- was preparing to get married. "Wh-Why not ask Sayuri along for this? Or even Asuna? I'm no good with this kind of thing!"

"Sayuri will be here in a few minutes," Michael replied without looking up. "She's just stuck in traffic. How about that one?" He pointed at a ring with a set of three diamonds in it, one bigger one and two smaller ones, one on each side.

"I don't know!" Kazuto sputtered. "I'm not a girl, why ask me?"

"Because you're supposed to have my back," Michael replied. "Now stop griping and help me look. If it helps, just look at rings you'd think Asuna would like."

"Asuna would kind of have a different taste in this, wouldn't she?" Kazuto replied.

"Tell me, does Asuna _like_ flashy things?" Michael said as he looked flatly at his brother.

"Well… no," Kazuto answered. "She prefers simpler, more meaningful things as opposed to super-flashy things… Why?"

"Start looking," Michael muttered. "Shino is the same way."

"Oh," Kazuto said as he moved away to look at another display. "Right."

"Brother!" Sayuri said as she came into the store. "Sorry it took so long!" She ran up and hugged him tightly, bringing a smile out of him as he hugged her in return.

"I'm simply glad you're here," Michael said as they released one another. "Care to help me out? Kazuto is… well, let's just say I'm glad you made it."

"I heard that!"

"I know, I meant for you to hear it," Michael grumbled. "Move away from there! I'm getting a diamond, not an aquamarine!"

"But it seems like her favorite color," Kazuto muttered. "You should at least consider it."

"Kazuto," Sayuri sighed. "You get girls their favorite color in just about any piece of jewelry _but_ an engagement ring! That _has_ to be a diamond!"

"Not necessarily," one of the receptionists said.

"Don't encourage him!" Michael said, annoyed.

"Sorry," the lady mumbled.

"Hey, what about this one?" Kazuto said, pointing at a ring. Michael was about to berate him again, but then he saw the ring, and his eyes widened in surprise. It was a simple ring made with silver, a single diamond in the mount, with no extra decorations. The only thing unusual about it was the way the band twisted on either side of the mount. It was simple yet elegant, and Michael immediately knew that it was the ring he want Shino to wear for the rest of her life.

Putting his hand on Kazuto's shoulder, he said, "You surprise me, Brother. "Well done."

"Thanks," he grinned sheepishly.

"Wow," Sayuri said as she laid eyes on the ring. "That's beautiful! Good job, Kazuto."

"That settles it," Michael nodded. "If it has her approval, then that's the one to get…"

* * *

"All right, birthday boy is up!" Ryoutarou laughed. "Let's see what you've got!"

"For the last time, _I am not singing karaoke_!" Michael shouted as both his best man and groomsman shoved him on stage with a microphone in his hand.

"Hell yeah, you are!" the man with the bandana laughed. It had been his idea to embarrass Michael in such a manner

"Come on, you got this!" Kazuto said encouragingly.

Michael gave them both smoldering looks as he growled, "I'll remember this for your bachelor's parties." They were at a local karaoke that was a block away from a restaurant for the bachelor party event. Of course, Michael's friends weren't about to let him go through his bachelor's party without embarrassing him. In the crowd were Andrew, Michael's friends from the orphanage, Erak, Tybalt, and Daniel, Ken'ichi, otherwise known as Kurogenei, Kage, also known as Dragon Song, and finally, Walter, who shared his real name with his avatar.

The stage lights went up, and Michael looked at the screen, which read, ''Crossing Field', originally by LiSA, though it had been modified to English by a man that called himself NateWantsToBattle. Apparently, he had written it up when he was first becoming popular, before he had begun touring around the world.

And, despite himself, Michael began to sing the words that appeared.

"I always admit the ways of my cowardly past  
I can't help that!  
And still I always act afraid  
I'm oblivious and now it's back to haunt me… forever

"Countless skies that I've painted  
Surely, this is where my heart!  
Finally doesn't fall apart!  
(_Won't fall apart_)

Jumping high from my dream, I'll fly!

No matter what the cost  
Today, I'll find, a way, to shake off all the pain!  
Within my dreams I'll touch, the sky!  
But I still realize, I won't, survive, the fight,  
Without you by my side!  
You give me light, when I have lost my way…  
I fall asleep 'cause I always find you in my dreams!

I'll always be right next to you!  
I'll give you everything I have…!

The crowd shouted its approval of the young man, much to his surprise and embarrassment. He bowed and got off the stage as quickly as possible. "I am never doing that again," he gasped to his friends. "You can't make me."

"We won't… Not for ten years at least," Kazuto grinned. "You know, you're actually pretty good up there! You write, you fight, and you even sing well! What can't you do?"

"Art," Michael replied as they walked over to the restaurant. "I can't paint, draw, or even sketch for the life of me."

"Wow, what a curse," Ryoutarou said sarcastically. "How can you live yourself?"

* * *

The dinner later on was excellent, with Kazuto proposing a toast of happiness on his brother's behalf, to which everyone in attendance agreed. When he sat down, Michael clapped him on the shoulder and asked, "Was that in preparation for tomorrow?"

"Nah, I've had the big one planned out for a while," he grinned. "This one was more spur of the moment." Michael smiled and thought about how much Kazuto had changed over the last three years. The awkward teenager that had asked him to join a party for a boss raid was now a confident swordsman. He still had his moments of obliviousness, but Michael knew that everyone had their own little quirks, and that was good. If everyone acted the same, there would be no point if having friends in the first place.

"Hey, by the way, where are ya takin' the missus for the big week?" Ryoutarou winked, causing Michael's face to flare red, and his eye to twitch angrily. Before he could explode, however, Kazuto grabbed him by the arm and forced him to remain in his seat.

"C'mon man, I wanna know too," he said with a grin, though not as mischievous as his old friend's. "Are you going anywhere special?"

"Well… Yes, as a matter of fact," Michael said once he felt his fighting blood settle. "I am planning on taking her to America for a couple of weeks. One will be spent in Washington D.C., near to where I grew up. there are many museums to see, and the land is rich with history. The other place I'll be taking her is a set of islands called the Outer Banks, where my family went on a few vacations over the summers."

"Dude, that's so cool," Kazuto said. "I hope she likes it."

"Me too," Michael said, a bit nervously.

"Hey man, as long you're with the right woman, it'll be a time to remember," Andrew said with a grin. "Take it from a married man."

"Yeah," Michael nodded. "Thanks, Andrew."

"Don't mention it," Andrew chuckled. "My lady actually used to live over in the States until she had the misfortune of meeting this guy." He chuckled as he pointed his thumb at his chest. "But it don't matter where y'all go to. I can tell you two are gonna be happy together."

"Man, you're just a big softie, aren't ya?" Ryoutarou grinned. "But the big guy's right, man. You and Sinon are gonna be awesome." A general chorus of agreement went around the table, and Michael had to smile at his friends as he felt happiness settle firmly in his heart…

* * *

"Hey, are you trying to spend all day in there?!" Kazuto's voice snapped Michael out of his reverie. "Your wedding is in three hours!"

"Sorry!" Michael called out as he shut off the water. "I'm coming out now!" He quickly dried himself and got dressed at lightning speed before heading downstairs. It wasn't until he got downstairs and saw Kazuto and Ryoutarou waiting for him that it all hit him like a jackhammer.

"I'm getting married…" he said with wide eyes. He sat down heavily, not blinking.

"Uh oh, did he break?" Ryoutarou joked as he waved a hand in front of Michael's face. "Snap out of it man, this whole thing was your idea, ya know."

"I know, just… give me a minute," Michael said heavily, eyes still wide.

"We don't have a minute," Kazuto said as he shook Michael. "We need to get over there now to get you dressed and await any last-minute visitors. Let's go!"

"I still need a minute," Michael mumbled.

"Klein, get him in the car," Kazuto grumbled.

"You got it!" the older man grinned as he slung Michael over his shoulder and carried him, unresisting to his car. When they got him in, he finally moved on his own and put on a seatbelt, though his face remained blank.

"Boy, if he goes up to the altar with that on his face, Sinon might have second thoughts," Ryoutarou laughed. "Let's wake him up!" And he took off at a breakneck pace until they got to the highway, where he went at least forty miles per hour over the speed limit.

"Klein!" Kazuto shouted. "We need to get him there alive, not shell-shocked!"

"This'll get his adrenaline going!" his friend shot back. Surprisingly, he turned out to be right, because finally shot up straight in his seat and started shouting.

"You're going to get me arrested on my wedding day!" he yelled. "Slow down! Now!"

"Not happening," the driver chuckled. "I'm givin' ya one last thrill as an unmarried man! Enjoy it while it lasts!"

"This is suicide, not an adventure!" Michael shouted angrily.

"Said no front-liner ever!" Ryoutarou shot back.

"Ooh man, he got you there," Kazuto grinned. "Seriously though, Klein? Slow down."

"Pfft," the older man said as he slowed down to the speed limit. "Says the two speed demons. You guys only nag like old ladies whenever you're not driving."

"Shut up," Michael growled. "Just get us there."

* * *

"So, tell me something," Asuna said as she helped Sayuri with Shino's dress. "Why is Michael so secretive about his last name? Not even Sachi knows what it is."

"Well, he explained it to me one time," Shino answered. "He said that his name was a sacred thing to him, because he's the last one of his family. He has no cousins that can pass on the family name anywhere. That means that he's the last chance for his family's legacy to survive. And his family is the most important thing in the world to him, even now. He won't share the name lightly- at least, not until now."

"Wait, what?" Sayuri asked. "What does that mean?"

"Well, before the pastor announces our married names, Michael will tell him what the name is," Shino answered. "The point is, Michael sees his name as something he can't share with people he doesn't consider his true family."

"But he's called us his family a bunch of times before," Asuna mused aloud. "Why not tell us before now?"

"Does it really matter?" Shino asked bluntly. "Would knowing his name change what you think of him?"

"Well… No," Asuna replied.

"Then there you have it," Shino smiled. "It's not really important for you to know. The importance is in the fact that he finally _does_ want to share his final secret with all of you. After this, he has nothing left to hide."

And suddenly, Asuna understood. Her mind flashed back to one of her first conversations with Mataras, back on floor one of Sword Art Online…

"_Am I ever going to get a straight answer from you?" Asuna demanded._

"_Perhaps someday, when you earn it," Mataras replied, traces of amusement back in his voice. The tone annoyed his teammate, but she decided not to press the matter. It was clear that if Mataras didn't want to give an answer, he wasn't going to give one, no matter the person's status or demands…_

"We've all earned his absolute trust," she murmured aloud. "He's showing that he has nothing to hide any more… He's casting aside his identity as the Red Swordsman." The enormity of that realization crashed down on both Asuna and Sayuri enough to silence them for several moments. Michael had always been the Red Swordsman Mataras at heart, but now… He was finally letting go of his bitterness and opening his heart all the way.

It wouldn't change who he was to them, but it would show that instead of just treating them like family, he really did think of all of them as his own flesh and blood.

"Bingo," Shino grinned as Sayuri finished pinning the veil in place. "Thanks for helping, both of you."

"Thank you for helping us understand," Sayuri replied with a smile as she hugged Shino. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to Michael. And I know he'll treat you with more love and loyalty than you could ever expect."

"You got that right," Asuna giggled, causing Shino to blush slightly.

"Well…" Shino said nervously as gave herself a turn in the dress. "How do I look?"

"You know, there are very few things that can get Michael to shut up," Sayuri smiled. "And today, you're going to be one of them."

"Translation," Asuna grinned. "We'll be lucky if we look half as good as you do at our own weddings. You're gorgeous." And Shino, who had never felt all that feminine in her life, couldn't help but look back and the mirror and finally agree with her friends.

She was ready to go out and meet her husband at the altar.

* * *

"I'm not ready; what was I thinking?!" Michael said in a panic.

"Maybe you just weren't thinking with the head that's on your shoulders," Ryoutarou sniggered as Michael flushed red furiously.

"Now listen here, you-" _Whack!_

Michael's words were cut off as Kazuto slapped him across the face. "That's enough," he said sharply. "Get ahold of yourself- you can't be acting like this now- it's not fair to Shino."

"But what if I'm not good enough for her?" Michael said, slumped down in a chair. "What if I fail her someday in my responsibilities as a husband?"

"Mataras," Kazuto said, using the name he had met his brother with. "You're the Red Swordsman. You helped conquer seventy-five floors of the death game. You led an assault on some of the most dangerous people in that world. You sacrificed your life for all of us in the end. You have the qualities of bravery, loyalty, determination, steadfastness, and love. And that's what Shino needs from you. You don't have to _be_ perfect. You just have to _try_ to be."

"Yeah," Ryoutarou grinned. "What Kirito said. What we've all been saying this whole time, buddy. You got this."

"I…" Michael slumped a little more, but quickly straightened up with a smile on his face. "Thanks, you two. I owe you."

"Don't mention it," Kazuto grinned, relieved that Michael was finally ready- mentally anyway. "Now whose idea was it to use bow ties for this thing?"

"Bow ties are cool," Michael insisted.

"Good thing I know how to do these," Ryoutarou chuckled. He helped Kazuto and then Michael with straightening out the ties and making sure that the tuxedos were in good condition.

Not a minute after they were ready, Sayuri came in, a bright smile on her face. "Hey there, Brother," she said as she walked in. "You look great."

"I was about to say the same thing to you," Michael grinned. His sister was dressed in a dark blue dress, similar in color to what she had worn in Sword Art Online. The dress was modest, covering her shoulders and having a shallow 'U' that revealed her collarbones, but nothing else.

"Hey, do you mind giving us a minute?" Sayuri asked Michael's friends.

"Yeah, go ahead," Kazuto said as he and Ryoutarou made for the door. "We still have some time."

"We'll come back when it's time," the other man said just before the door closed.

Once they were alone, Sayuri hugged Michael and said, "I'm really going to miss you, you know."

"Hey, don't worry," Michael said as he pulled back slightly. "I'll be back in two weeks. And I promise we'll be safe."

"That's not what I meant," Sayuri said in a small voice. "You're getting married now… Which means I won't be able to see you like I used to. And I'm really happy for you, but I can't help but think how different it's going to be without my big brother around."

"Oei," Michael said, a slight edge in his voice. He looked Sayuri in the eye and said, "You will always have a place in my life, Sachi. Nothing will ever change that, I swear it. You will always, _always_ be my little sister." Then he hugged her again, and Sayuri cried into his shoulder.

"Thank you," she gasped when she pulled away. "Thank you, Mataras. I'm better now." She wiped at her eyes with a handkerchief that Michael provided. Once that was done, she smiled at him and said, "See you in a bit, okay?"

"Sachi?" Michael said, calling her by her virtual name once more. "After I have my first dance with Shino… Come up and dance with me, okay?"

"I will," she said as she smiled at her brother. Then she left, and Michael was alone.

Now, he looked up at the ceiling and said, "Mother, Father. Victoria… I hope you are watching this. I wish you were here now, but I will no longer gripe about my past. I plan to look towards my future now, with my wife… I won't ever forget you, but now I can let all of you rest in peace." And he closed his eyes and bowed his head in prayer for a moment.

"_You've made me proud, Michael,"_ he heard a soft voice echo. And in that moment he smiled with such joy that a tear seeped out of his eye.

* * *

A few minutes later, he was standing at the altar, with the same smile on his face as he waited expectantly for his bride. In attendance were all of their friends from the virtual world, as well as Shino's family, which consisted of her mother and grandparents from both sides of the family. Also in attendance were the families of those participating in the wedding.

Up with him on the steps to the altar were Kazuto and Ryoutarou. The latter of the two was dressed up sharply for once, and his bandana was nowhere to be seen. He had gotten a haircut for the occasion- or rather, much to his dismay, Michael had forced him to get one.

Kazuto was also dressed up in a black-and-white tuxedo, and to his surprise, he actually found that it suited him quite nicely. His hair, which was normally messy and unkempt, was brushed to the side, giving him a polished, refined look of a gentleman.

And then stood the tallest of the three, Michael. As per the norm, he was dressed in a tuxedo as well, but he was wearing a white rose in the lapel. His jet-black hair had undergone the greatest change of the three of them. Instead of being long and covering his face, it had been cut down to a number two, and the front of it was spiked up, leaving his face completely clear. This revealed his eyes completely, which revealed another change that most people hadn't noticed up until now. Instead of being nearly black like his avatar's eyes still were, they were a hazel color with green flecks in them, giving them a softer, kinder look. All in all, he looked handsome.

But he was not what held everyone's attention. First to come out of the doors at the end of the chapel was Asuna, accompanied by her father. Although she wasn't wearing her usual colors of red and white, instead wearing a medium blue dress that left one shoulder bare, she was a great beauty that held the attention of everyone in the room. While Sayuri was kindly and still a bit timid, Asuna strode with confidence alongside her father, beaming at her boyfriend and the young man she had come to look upon as a brother.

Then Sayuri came walking down the aisle, accompanied by her uncle. As Michael had noticed before, she was beautiful, and she definitely turned heads with her gentle-natured smile and kindly charms. On her shoulder was the mounted device that was allowing Yuuki to watch the entire event unfold. The ceremony was also being viewed by Yui and Litrosh through the device. It might cause a bit of video lag, but Kazuto was confident that they would be able to hear the whole thing, even with three of them sharing the device. Once Sayuri had taken her place, her uncle went back to sit with the rest of the family.

Last to come out, of course, was the bride herself. And though she was endowed with less feminine charm than those that had come before her, Michael's eyes widened, and his jaw nearly came unhinged.

Shino came out wearing a dress unlike one Michael had ever seen before. It left her shoulders bare, and the dress' trail was held by the little girl that Shino had unwittingly saved when she had shot the robber all those years ago. The waistline hugged her slim form, accentuating her curves, not one of those ridiculous dresses where the bottom half splays out, held up by a frame underneath the folds of fabric. On her arms were white sleeves that were separate from the dress itself. Her short hair had been growing lately, and now it spilled down to her shoulders, on the sides and behind her head, free from any braids. And of course, the smile that Michael could see through the veil caused his mouth finally work as he smiled in return.

Just before she reached the stairs, Michael whispered to Kazuto, "Can I kiss her yet?"

"I don't think so," Kazuto chuckled.

"Blast it," Michael pretended to seethe. But he couldn't stop smiling even as he faked being angry. This was just all too good to be true, he thought. How could he ever have gotten such a perfect woman to marry him?

Then the moment was at hand, and she was standing in front of him, looking just as excited and nervous as he felt. The pastor, a tall young man with bright eyes and a welcoming smile, stepped a pace away from being in between them. "Dearly beloved," he began. "We are here today to celebrate the union of Michael and Shino. Here in the presence of God, all shall be made to understand that the vows about to be spoken are not to be taken lightly, and forever binding until one or both of these two have passed on from this Earth."

Turning to look Michael in the eye, he asked, "Do you understand and agree to abide by these rules?"

"I do," Michael nodded.

Turning to look Shino in the eye now, the pastor asked, "And do you understand and agree to abide by these rules?"

"I do," Shino replied, nodding eagerly.

"Then all shall proceed as it must," the pastor smiled. "Who will bear witness to this sacred event, and correct others who say that it is not so?"

"As Michael's brother in all but blood, I will," Kazuto said firmly.

"And as Michael's sister in all but blood, I will," Sayuri also spoke firmly.

"Who now gives this young woman to be wed to this young man?" the pastor asked into the small crowd.

Shino's mother and grandfather stood up in the front row, with her mother saying, "Her grandfather and I do. We consent and gladly give." And she smiled at her daughter before sitting down and wiping at her eyes.

"Very well," the pastor smiled brightly in delight. Turning to Michael, he said, "I believe you have made your own vows? If so, present them now."

"Aye," Michael said as he strode forward. "I am hereby sworn on my honor to protect and serve my wife until death do us part. Times of sickness and good health will not cause me to stumble in our journey together, one way or another. Should hard times come to test us, I swear that I will face them with only her by my side as my partner in life. I will work my very best and harder to provide for her and any future progeny we may have together. And above all, I promise to treat every moment with her as though it were going to be my last. This I swear, in the presence of God and all those in attendance."

And he fell silent, now waiting for his bride's turn to speak. The pastor turned and said, "Now Shino, you may present your vows."

The young woman nodded and spoke with a slight tremble in her voice, but she was heard by all nonetheless. And she said, "I swear to repay my husband for all that he has done for me, and more. I will never leave his side, no matter the circumstance, even unto death. I will follow him wherever he goes, and care for our family to the best of my ability. And I will love him each and every day that I live. I promise this in God's presence, and in the presence of everyone here today."

Then they were both smiling at one another, love and happiness in their eyes as the pastor nodded and said, "These vows are true, spoken from the heart. Do you, Michael, find your bride's vows acceptable, and agree to take her as your wife from this day forward?"

"I do," he said with a nod once again.

"And do you, Shino, find your groom's vows to be acceptable, and agree to take him as your husband from this day forward?" The pastor turned again to face Shino as he spoke.

"I do," she agreed with a bright smile.

"Then may the ring-bearers step forth," he said with a smile on his own face. Michael and Shino could both tell that no matter how many times this man performed a wedding, he loved watching two people come together to become one.

Ryoutarou stepped up and handed Shino's ring to Michael, who thanked him and held the silver band at chest level, even as Shino received his ring from Asuna. At the pastor's instruction, they put the rings on their rightful places, even as Asuna and Ryoutarou stepped back into their predesignated places.

"Now then," the pastor said, addressing the crowd. "If there is anyone here in attendance who sees any valid reason why these two should not be joined in wedlock, speak now or forever hold your peace." When a good five seconds had passed, the pastor smiled even brighter and spoke the immortal words. "Then by the power vested in me by the Church of God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Michael- _now_ you may kiss the bride."

Kazuto and Ryoutarou laughed as Michael grinned brightly and lifted Shino's veil. Sayuri smoothed it out in the back just in time for Michael to kiss his wife for a long, tender moment. The crowd cheered loudly and applauded the newlyweds. When they finally pulled apart, the pastor turned them to face the small crowd, which was still applauding.

And even though they smiled and clapped, the Moonlit Black Cats held their breath in anticipation. Now was the moment when they would know Michael's greatest kept secret, and the moment when he would show them that he had left the past behind him.

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Michael Nichols!"

Michael stood as the Toa of Aincrad, ready to hold true to the three virtues. He would hold to unity with his wife. He would perform his duty to his family for all of his life before he thought of his own well-being. And he would await the moment when his destiny was revealed to him, when he would go to be with his family in eternity. And the mighty avenger, the Red Swordsman, was no more.

* * *

The reception was held in another room of the church, large enough for the entire party to attend and have a massive dance floor for the bride and groom's first dance, as well as anyone who wanted to join them afterwards. When the bouquet was thrown, Asuna was the one to catch it, much to her and Kazuto's surprise and embarrassment. The cake was cut and eaten by the couple just in time for the music to start.

Shino and Michael's first dance was to a song called 'Into a Fantasy' by an artist named Alexander Rybak. Few of those attending had heard it before, but it was pleasant tune, and the words were a beautiful symbol of the relationship between a husband and wife. Shino and Michael smiled all the while, not paying any attention to those around them, only fixated on each other.

"So," Michael said at one point. "When we first met, did you imagine having a wedding like this?"

"Every girl has her wedding in mind when she's twelve," Shino giggled just before she kissed him for a second. "But you blew my expectations. Every single one of them." And Michael was more than content with that.

When the song ended, Asuna and Kazuto joined them on the dance floor while Shino excused herself to go dance with her grandfather, promising to come back after the next song. Michael smiled and reached out his hand to his sister once his wife had gotten her grandfather's attention, who eagerly took his hand and began a new dance with him.

"Tell me something, Michael," Sayuri asked as they moved to the beat of the music. "When you were in Aincrad, and you found me under a bridge, what was your goal in life?"

Michael smiled a tad grimly and replied, "To destroy the man responsible for committing such a crime against his fellow man, and for trying to take the place of God. That, or die trying."

"Man, you really were a sour apple back then, huh?" Yuuki's voice came through the device on Sayuri's shoulder, causing the two of them to laugh.

"You should have heard about how he arrested a man that trapped one of his commanders in a dungeon!" Yui exclaimed.

"Do I want to know? Wait, was it that Kibaou guy?"

"Aye," Litrosh could be heard chuckling. And the three of them chattered amongst themselves as Sayuri and Michael resumed talking.

"And now?" Sayuri asked with a soft smile. "What's your greatest wish?"

"Now I want to spend my life making Shino happy," Michael replied easily. "If I can die knowing that I managed to make her smile every day, then I shall be a happy man indeed."

"You know, you used to say that at their core, people would always be the same," his sister said. "Do you still believe that?"

"Yes," Michael nodded immediately. "But I also believe now that if you work hard enough, and learn to accept certain things, then you can conquer your darker side, and amplify the good gifts that God has given you."

"I think that you've got that right," Sachi said as she hugged her brother in time for the song to end. "And I know what part of you won't ever change, Michael."

"And what is that?" he asked, intrigued.

"Your beliefs and your iron will," she said as Shino came back. "And I'm glad that those won't ever change."

"Me too," he whispered as she walked off to join the other girls.

"What were you two talking about?" Shino asked as she joined hands with her husband.

"Just about how things were, and how much better they are now," Michael answered with a smile. "Shall we dance, my lady?" Shino blushed heavily at the name he used, but she agreed to another dance.

A new era had dawned on their lives, and they couldn't be happier. And those that Mataras had surrounded himself with knew that had he not been in their lives, things could have turned out very differently. And they were thankful for it, and his newfound joy. And so the pain of Michael's past finally ended that day.

* * *

**Mataras: Okay, before I do anything else, I'm putting up disclaimers on the music mentioned and the lyrics used. There are not mine, and all rights go to their respectful owners. Also, just to be clear, Nichols is not my surname. I am not telling anybody my real last name, and for those of you that do know it, please (and I mean this in the kindest way possible) keep it to yourself.**

**Kirito: Man, you're covering all your bases, aren't you?**

**Mataras: Yeah, well, copyright people like getting in your face if you're not careful, so one can never be too cautious.**

**Asuna: But can't you loosen up a bit? You did just get married, after all.**

**Mataras: All right, that's another point I need to clarify, just in case. _Un_like my engagement, this chapter does not reflect events occurring in my life at this time. I am still unmarried. However, I hope that many of you will be happy for Shino and myself in the story.**

**Yui: So what's next in the final chapter?**

**Mataras: I don't want to give out any spoilers. Sorry, Yui.**

**Sachi: I'm surprised you cast off your title The Red Swordsman. After all, that's the name of the story, isn't it?**

**Mataras: True, but I can't spend the rest of my life hating everything. It's not healthy, and while I'll never exactly be a hero, I can strive towards being one.**

**Litrosh: You're a sap sometimes, you know that? Also, Karaoke? What was that all about?**

**Mataras: Yes, I know I can be a sap from time to time. And as for the Karaoke? Few things would be more embarrassing for me as grown man than being made to sing in front of a combination of strangers and friends! ...But now it's time for us to say goodbye until tomorrow, where the Red Swordsman: Toa of Aincrad edition will be laid to rest. Farewell, friends. I look forward to seeing you soon.  
**


	43. The Law is Laid to Rest

**A/N: Well my friends. I guess this... is it. The final chapter of the Toa of Aincrad in which we will see the beginning of a new family and the fall of a legend. thank you all, readers new and old, for sharing in this adventure with me. I hope I did both the characters of Sword Art Online and the memories of your childhood justice. Thank you for leaving a massive 400 hundred reviews, and I look forward to hearing your final words on this epic story.**

* * *

The Law is Laid to Rest

Shino was cuddled up to Michael, sleeping peacefully on the flight to America. He smiled and kissed her forehead, before nuzzling her soft brown hair. "Sorry to disturb you," a flight stewardess whispered as she pulled up by Michael with a cart full of snacks and drinks. "But would you care for any refreshments?

"Aye, if you please," Michael replied in a low voice. "Dr. Pepper for me, and a Pepsi for the lady."

"Okay, and does your girlfriend want anything to eat for when she wakes up?" the stewardess asked politely.

"My wife will likely want to wait until we land to eat anything," Michael grinned, surprising the flight attendant. "But I'll take any potato crisps if you've got them."

"Your wife?" she repeated as she reached for the requested items. "But aren't you a little bit young to be married?"

"I believe that the number of times that one has travelled around the sun does not determine one's readiness for matrimony," Michael replied, still grinning. "What you do with your life during that time determines your readiness." He accepted his drinks and snacks from the lady, who could only look at the young couple with fascination before moving on to the next row of passengers.

* * *

The first place they visited was the capital of America, a place that Michael ha once called home. On their first day out, Shino looked around in fascination at all the stone buildings that towered above them, while Michael looked on with feelings of nostalgia whirling about inside of him. The last time he had been here was before the accident that claimed his parent's lives, but he forced himself to focus on the positive instead of brooding on the past.

Together, they saw several museums, which Shino found delightful in the extreme. She wasn't what you would call a history buff, but few places in the United States offered more in terms of the land's history. One could not go to the place on vacation and not end up winding in a museum.

His favorite was the National History Museum, whereas she was more fascinated by the Air and Space Museum. They also went to the Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington Memorials. Michael enjoyed recounting abbreviated versions of each president's life as they walked around each one, which surprised Shino.

"I didn't know you were so much into history," she said as they ate some massive pretzels for lunch in between their visits to the first and third president's memorials.

"I'm not, really," he shrugged. "But I've always found my country's history fascinating, so I do brush up on it from time to time."

On their last day in D.C., Michael took his wife to Mount Vernon where George Washington had once resided in the morning, and then proceeded to take her to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, for the afternoon. Both of them were unique in their own ways, with Mount Vernon being a combination of a mansion, a barn, crop fields, and pastures, and every room in Monticello being a work of art, designed by the third president himself.

While they were at Mount Vernon, he showed her a massive tree that sat behind the house and pulled her into a hollow beneath the branches, where the branches all seemed to curve upward and then back just enough to make a good-sized place for two people.

"Michael…" Shino said, her face feeling hot. "What are we doing in here?"

"Eh?" he said, noticing her red face. Then he grinned and said, "Don't worry, nothing indecent. I just wanted to show you this place for a moment. I know it likely sounds stupid, but when my family came up here, Victoria and I got bored of the tour and we asked our parents if we could go outside and play. We found this place, and we got to talking… Heh, we talked for so long that by the time my father found us, my mother thought that we had been abducted."

"I take it they were angry with you?" Shino giggled.

"Aye," Michael nodded. "But we never forgot this place… So now I wanted to share it with you, even if just this once."

Aw…" Shino giggled before giving her husband a good one right on his mouth.

* * *

After their excursion in the capital, he took her to the beaches of North Carolina, where he had rented a beach house for the two of them for a week. The beach was a good ten minutes away from the house, so one could easily smell and hear the ocean in addition to a balcony that provided an excellent view. "In the old days, we would share three-story house with a group of four family's total," Michael said as he put their luggage in their room. "Every day was the same routine, but the memories differed."

"How does that work?" Shino asked as she stepped out onto the balcony.

"The ocean," Michael smiled as he held her from behind. "No two waves are ever the same, and the tide changes from day to day, so each day was a new adventure for us."

Shino spun around in his arms and held him back, enjoying the warm sun and the company of her best friend in all the worlds. "Thank you for bringing me here," she said softly. "I really appreciate it."

"Of course," he said. "I'm just glad you like the trip."

"I do," she said as she pulled back to look into his hazel eyes. "But I'm not sure I can say I'm looking forward to that plane ride again…"

"Well, at least you were able to sleep through most of it," Michael chuckled. As he released his wife, he said, "On another topic, how about we go out and rent some body boards?"

"Body boards?" Shino asked.

"Well, these beaches aren't exactly the greatest for learning how to surf- trust me, I know," he grimaced as he rubbed his neck. "But for bodyboarding? Perfect. Oh, and I think we should grab a kite while we're in town, too. The winds here are great for flying."

"You're just pulling out all your tricks, aren't you?" Shino said as she followed him out of the house.

"Oh no, not at all," Michael said with a wink. "You've yet to see the last of my tricks." And despite herself, Shino blushed scarlet while grinning back her husband. All in all, she knew, this trip would be one to remember for the rest of time.

* * *

Unfortunately, not all happiness can be made to last.

It was just after Michael and Shino had returned from their honeymoon when they received a call at mid-morning. Michael picked up the phone, not bothering to look at the caller ID, half-expecting a solicitor to be on the other end. Instead, his ears were greeted with Sayuri's voice.

"Michael, you need to log in to New Aincrad right now!" she insisted.

"Sister…" he mumbled. "I've had a busy night, and I'm still recovering… That, and jetlag. Can't this quest wait until later this week?"

"Yuuki's dying!" Sayuri replied, sounding like she was about to cry.

Michael bolted upright in bed, fully awake now. He jostled Shino, who looked up at him with bleary, questioning eyes. "We'll be right over," he said. "Where do we meet?"

"At the tree where we first met her," Sayuri said. "Everyone else is already getting ready to log in. I'll see you in a bit." And she hung up.

"What was that?" Shino mumbled, getting up slowly. "Can't we have five more minutes, please? I'm tired out."

"Sorry, but this can't wait," Michael said as he got out of bed. He handed Shino her Amusphere before putting on his NerveGear. "Yuuki is about to fade, Shino. Sayuri wants us all there where we first met her."

"She's dying?" Shino gasped, now wide awake.

"Aye," Michael nodded sadly. "Come on. Let's go say farewell."

* * *

Upon logging in the couple used teleport crystals to get to the nearest town before bolting at breakneck speed to reach the tree. When they got there, everyone else was already in attendance, including the Sleeping Knights. All of them were kneeling in a circle, many of them crying. Sachi was cradling Yuuki, who looked as though she were falling asleep in her arms.

Shino went up first, gripping Yuuki's hands in her own, bringing a smile to her face. "Sorry we're late," the sniper said.

"Nah, it's okay," Yuuki said weakly, though a smile was still on her face. "I know you were busy… But thank you for coming."

"We'll always remember you," Shino said as she backed away, the tears coming to her eyes. She knelt next to Asuna, who was crying freely now. It was at this moment that Mataras stepped forward and knelt beside Yuuki.

"Thank you," he said simply.

"For what…?" Yuuki asked, eyes fluttering open a bit more.

"For being a good friend to Sachi," he replied with a smile, a tear sliding down his face. "For showing me what the Moonlit Black Cats could have been. And for being one of the greatest opponents I have ever had the privilege of crossing blades with."

"And thank you…" Yuuki smiled. "For telling me about Sword Art Online… And about all that you suffered… It helped me to see… who you and… your family really are…"

She struggled to access her menu, and when Sachi gave her brother a meaningful look, he helped the girl open the inventory. She managed to summon the object she wanted on her own, and the siblings were surprised to see Excalibur in her arms. "Take this, Sachi…" she said, her voice fading even more. "You've more than proven that you can wield it better than me… You're… the sister of… Mataras… Toa of Aincrad… So please… Take it… and remember me… every time you draw it."

Sachi took the blade tentatively, almost lovingly, and added it to her inventory. "I will, Yuuki," she sobbed. "I promise that I'll remember you every time I use this sword."

"Yuuki," Mataras said quietly, causing her fatigued eyes to shift towards him again. "As you pass on, know that the Law of the Sword that justified my hatred and violence will also be laid to rest. Thanks to my family and to you, I have seen new reasons to live my life to the fullest, no matter how terrible my past."

"I'm glad to hear that…" she said as she closed her eyes. "I'm glad that… I was able… to help someone… one more time…" She nearly let go at that moment, but Mataras shook her shoulder to rouse her one last time.

"Yuuki," he said urgently. "Look over, past me." Sachi helped her tilt her head so that she could see the thousands of players kneeling at the edge of the lake where the island was situated. "Your power in this world has touched so many lives, given so many people a goal to aim for. They are all here to remember you." And in the manner of the Bionicle, he bumped fists with her to show his respect and comradeship.

"I had… no idea…" she said faintly, but her smile grew just a bit as her fist laid back down on her stomach. Before she could say anything else, though, Mataras performed one final action in her presence. Gathering his legs under him so that his feet were flat on the ground with his seat resting in the arch of his feet, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead into the ground, and the lowest position he could lower himself to.

"I have never bowed to anyone in this manner before," he said softly. "But now I do so in respect of your skill, and your legacy. Farewell, Yuuki."

"Goodbye… Mataras," she said as she closed her eyes one last time. "I'll tell Victoria… you said… hi…" Then like a spring mist in the light of the morning sun, the most powerful sword maiden in New Aincrad faded away.

Mataras rose to his haunches and held his sister, who was shaking and crying. "Rest in peace, Strong One," he said softly, recalling how he had spoken the same words to the spirit of Griselda. "I bid you happiness in eternity."

* * *

Days later, Yuuki's funeral was held at the same church that Michael and Shino had been married in. Michael paid for the event himself, as well as making sure that Yuuki would be buried by her parents and sister. On her gravestone would be the words, 'Konno Yuuki. A master of the sword and a friend to life itself.'

The procession and burial were melancholy as was to be expected, but afterwards, during the reception being held in her honor, the Moonlit Black Cats had a surprise visitor.

A tall girl with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses approached them with a smile that seemed somehow familiar. "Hey, guys," she said. "Recognize me?"

"Siune?" Sachi gasped.

"Hey there," she said with a little wave. "I heard that Mataras paid for all of this?"

"Aye," Michael nodded. "I take it that you're feeling better? Or are you out of the hospital just for the funeral?" The Cats knew that every member of the Sleeping Knights had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, which was part of the reason that they stuck so close together in the virtual world.

"Actually…" Siune smiled brighter. "I just found out that my cancer is in full remission. I'll be able to live a long, healthy life." The Cats all smiled and congratulated her on her victory over the deadly condition, somewhat to her embarrassment. "Thanks, you guys," she said. "I just wish… Yuuki could have known…" She wiped at a tear as Sayuri hugged her from the side and offered her condolences.

"What about everyone else?" Michael asked. "Have they received any word from their doctors, good or ill?"

"No, but they all insisted that I come here, even if they couldn't," Siune replied.

"Ah," was all that Michael could say.

"Oh, Doctor Kurahashi wanted me to pass on a message to all of you, especially Kirito," the girl suddenly remembered. "He wanted to let you know that the Midicuboid is now being reproduced to use in more hospitals to help other patients like Yuuki. And they are also interested in Kirito's technology that allowed Yuuki to see the real world even though she was still bedridden."

Kazuto's head snapped up in surprise. He had passed the device off as a project for his mechatronics class, even though those close to him knew that he was really just doing it for Yui's sake. But never had he thought that he might be able to make something that could help the sick like that.

"Doctor Kurahashi said to just drop by the hospital if you're interested," Siune added. "He made sure to tell you that there was no particular hurry."

"Yeah, I might do that," Kazuto nodded. "I just need to tweak a few more settings, but it's nearly ready for reproduction… I could even build another model once I'm sure it works if they wanted to test it out on someone else."

"Tell that to the doc, not me," Siune giggled.

"Oh right," Kazuto said sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it," Siune smiled. "Thank you for helping Yuuki the way you did. It meant a lot to her, and to her friends."

"We're glad to hear that," Asuna smiled back. "So, what's going to happen to the Sleeping Knights now? Are you going to keep going with a different leader, or are you disbanding like you originally planned?"

"We haven't decided yet," Siune admitted. "But, if it's okay… If the guild does disband, do you have room in the Moonlit Black Cats for one more?"

The smiles she received would have been answer enough, but their leader said just to be sure, "Of course you'd be welcome. Just let us know when you're ready, kay?"

"Thanks, Kirito," Siune smiled even brighter. "Thanks, all of you."

* * *

One week later, when the air had warmed up, and the winter chill was finally leaving the earth for the season, Asuna suggested a picnic with the entire gang to celebrate that Kazuto had perfected his technology. The entire group agreed to the idea, and so it was that Michael found himself laying in the soft grass in the warm sun with his hands folded behind his head, utterly at peace.

Kazuto sat down next to him with a grin on his face as he said, "Know what this reminds me of?"

"The time that Asuna caught you and Sachi napping, and then I surprised her?" Michael guessed with a grin of his own.

"Yup," Kazuto chuckled as he laid down himself. "This weather and sky are just like it was back then… Absolutely perfect."

"Aye," Michael agreed.

"You never did lose that one," Kazuto chuckled.

"Eh?"

"You barely ever say yes, or yeah," the black-coated teenager said. "You always use 'aye' instead."

"Well, some habits die hard, or not at all," Michael chuckled.

"Just like you," Kazuto grinned broadly.

"Aye," Michael said again. "Now shut up before my wife notices that I'm trying to catch a nap in the middle of the day. She won't let me sleep through a gathering."

"Is the honeymoon over already?" Kazuto teased. When Michael snapped one eye open at him, he quickly said, "Okay, sorry. Shutting up now." Michael closed his eye and began to doze off. Kazuto quickly followed suit, and soon the only sounds they heard were the general chattering of their friends and the gentle breeze that brushed their faces.

They didn't notice Shino and Asuna looking at them from a distance while shaking their heads. "Masters of the sleep skill," Shino sighed. "Isn't that how you described it?"

"Yup," Asuna nodded. "But I swear that it levels up faster than any sword skill in Aincrad." She and Shino shared in a laugh, enjoying the sight of their men resting peacefully, despite their complaints.

"Are they at it again?" Sayuri asked as she walked up to the other girls.

"You know it," Asuna giggled.

"Every chance he thinks he can get away with a nap, he tries it," Shino sighed. "I just hope it doesn't turn into a habit of his."

"Well, my brother _is_ a creature of habit," Sayuri said, causing Shino to roll her eyes in exasperation. Then she added, "But I think he's just doing it to tease you."

"What makes you say that?" Shino asked curiously.

"In the old days, he never took a nap unless I made him," Sayrui grinned. "And even then, he was usually just meditating, not really sleeping. It doesn't seem like him to suddenly start sleeping in the middle of the day."

"That's true, actually," Asuna agreed. "I wasn't around him as much back then, but every time I came across him, he was always on red alert for trouble."

Their assurances caused Shino to squint her eyes at her husband, and a mischievous smile to play across her lips. "If he wants to play games, the joke's on him," she said with a giggle. "I've got a few extra clips in my belt that he has no idea about."

"Just be sure not to start shooting until everyone else is out of the line of fire," Sayuri said with a nervous grin.

"Well, maybe they do deserve a break," Litrosh said from Asuna's shoulder. "Kirito has been working hard to finish this device for Yui."

"He built it for you, too!" the little girl piped up.

"Not really," Litrosh chuckled. "I doubt he would have conceived such an idea, let alone pursue it so relentlessly if his daughter was not the one he was building it for."

"I'm with Litrosh," Shino grinned. "Kazuto works pretty hard, but he puts in overtime if it's in the interest of helping you or your mom."

"You got that right!" Ryoutarou grinned as he walked up. "Those two barely ever spoke to anybody for the longest time. I still think it's miracle that they both found you two." Asuna and Shino blushed heavily at his words, but they didn't deny them, either.

"What's up, Klein?" Sayuri asked. "I thought you were hanging out with Agil?"

"What, a guy's not welcome here?" he joked good-naturedly. "Just kiddin'. Silica is actually wanting to take a group photo with everyone. She's getting a tripod set up and everything. I just wanted to let you girls know."

"That sounds good," Sayuri said with a smile. "Shino, Asuna? Mind waking up the sleeping beauties?" And with that, she walked off with Ryoutarou to join the others.

"Shall we?" Shino sighed.

"I guess so," Asuna replied likewise.

* * *

The photo was one to remember, and eventually, each family that was born from that group of friends would have a copy of it hanging on their wall. Asuna and Kazuto were in the center, holding hands happily. Rika and Keiko were striking confident poses while Andrew simply grinned at the camera with his massive arms folded over his thick chest. Ryoutarou was standing next to him, giving the camera a wink and his goofiest smile. Suguha was standing on the side of Kazuto that wasn't claimed by his girlfriend. Last of all, Sayuri was standing next to Michael, who had his arms around his wife, Shino. And each time one of them would look at the picture, they would remember the Black and Red Swordsmen, and the lives that they touched together.

* * *

Later that night, in the virtual world of New Aincrad on floor eleven, on the outskirts of a town called Taft, Sachi, Kirito, and I stood before four fresh gravestones. Each one bore a different name, but they all had the same date on the bottom and the mark of the Moonlit Black Cats on the top, right above the names.

The first one read, 'Tetsuo. A fearless warrior.'

The second had inscribed on it the words, 'Sasamaru. A quick thinker.'

The third stone said, 'Ducker. A master treasure hunter.'

And finally, the last one said, 'Keita. A leader with high hopes.'

"We're sorry we didn't do this sooner," Kirito said quietly. "But we thought you wouldn't want anything to do with us after what had happened…"

He faltered, and Sachi picked up where he left off, "But now we know that wherever you are, no matter how far away, you're still our friends. We're still a guild- the guild that beat Sword Art Online."

"You must be proud, Keita," I added quietly. "We accomplished your goal. We reached higher than many thought possible, and we conquered the summit of the insurmountable mountain. You can rest easy now, knowing that your role in it shall never be forgotten. These stones will mark all of your parts in our story forevermore."

The three of us knelt down in front of the gravestones, and paid our silent tributes to our fallen brethren for many long minutes. Then, without anything being said between us, the remnants of the original Moonlit Black Cats stood up together and walked away.

* * *

It would be the last time that they would ever visit the town. Together, one day, they would conquer the one hundredth floor of New Aincrad in the name of those they left to rest. Yuuki, Keita, Ducker, Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Victoria were always in their hearts as they forged their own paths in life, just as the fallen would have wished it.

In the years to come after that, Michael and Kazuto accomplished many amazing feats, both in the virtual world, and the real one. And always beside them were their wives, Shino and Asuna, their children, known as Yui and Litrosh, and their quiet and kind little sister, Sayuri.

And so it was, as it is. A boy into an avenger. An avenger into a warrior. A warrior into legend, reliving deeds past. And bringing hope to the future. United in brotherhood. Honor-bound by duty. Fighting for destiny. _That_ is the way of the Toa of Aincrad.

* * *

**A/N: This marks the end of our journey together, my friends. At least, for 2015, for I shall see you next year with a new story and a new plot, but with the characters that you know and have grown to love! By the evening of January 1st, look in the crossover section for Sword Art Online + Fairy Tail to find the alternate story line that begins when Michael and Kazuto arouse from their slumber! Coming to you soon: The Red Swordsman: Slayer of Aincrad edition! And be sure to see my profile for the link to an intro video I put together just for this new story- and let me say, it's probably the one that's come together the best so far!**

**Now before we hear from the Moonlit Black Cats one last time, I want to make a point of thanking a number of people that have helped this story come a long ways. It's a long one, but each one of these people is more than worth mentioning, so thank them that this story was completed as well.**

**First of all, I will thank Antex- The Legendary Zoroark, not only for sending me words of encouragement and reading _every_ story of mine, but also providing Leafa's boyfriend and goods' supplier for the new Black Cats, Kurogenei!**

**Second is Northern Warrior, provider of Dragon Song, one of the Red Swordsman's greatest rivals, and my collaboration partner in several story plot ideas. Thank you for all your help and your encouragement to keep up the work with the Omega Chronicles!**

**Third is DragonofAnnoth, provider of the OC Walter, and perhaps one of my best critics. My writing would likely go stale without him to help mix things up by challenging to try something new each chapter, so thank you for that!**

**TriforceHero, your service to this country is greatly appreciated, as are your words of encouragement for when I've been down. You have been through this story from its launch date, and now you've made it all the way to the end. thank you for sticking with this thing!**

**Next is wolfenergy17, whose enthusiasm is a delight to behold every time I read your reviews! Thank you for your long reviews- don't ever apologize for them.**

**Moshe30350redstar, I know you wanted a Red Leaf ship, but I must also credit you for coming up with this ship's name, the Red Bullet. thank you for that, and for many other things besides.**

**TichePotato, you crack me up with your reviews, so thanks for the laugh- I really need them sometimes.**

**Vergo512, I have to say, I love your take on Mataras' character!**

**Naruto Sakura Uzumaki has been a blast to talk to about both past and future plans for my writings. Thank you for taking the time to follow this story!**

**LebendenToten, ShiningSunsets, Kamen Rider Tigon, Telron, Zachary2, GoldenCyclone4, and so many more... Thank you for giving me a reason to write each day. God bless each and every one of you who reads this.**

* * *

**Mata****ras: Okay... Am I the only one that got chills after that last paragraph of the story? After I had written it, I realized that I had heard it somewhere before, and ****I found that it was rather similar to Turaga Vakama's at the end of the film, Legends of Metru Nui.**

**Kirito: You're a nerd, man.**

**Mataras: Like you can talk.**

**Asuna: Sorry, honey, but he's got you there.**

**Kirito: You're on _his_ side?!**

**Sachi: Are we really gonna spend our last segment together in this story arguing?**

**Litrosh: Did you really expect them to do it any differently?**

**Yui: I just wish that everyone would get along...**

**Mataras: We do, Yui. In the end, friends are there for each other. And as the saying goes, 'Friends are family you find along the way'.**

**Asuna: I like that one, Mataras.**

**Mataras: Thank you, Asuna. ... Time to say goodbye.**

**Yui: Do we have to?**

**Litrosh: As unpleasant as it is, it must be done... So here is my farewell to all that have read this story: May the sun and moon shine brightly on your hunts, readers of the epics.**

**Sachi: Take care, and may every day bring you a new reason to try just a little bit harder.**

**Yui: Cherish those that love you by loving them in return.**

**Asuna: Fight for what you believe in, and do it well so that you can gain the respect of others.**

**Kirito: Don't ever forget what lessons people that you respect can teach, whether it's what to do by paying attention to their success, or what not to do by avoiding making the same mistakes that they did in the past.**

**Mataras: And always know that on days when the world seems the most cruel, it can be the easiest time to see just how much other people love and care for you. Never give in to despair, because there is always someone there for you when you need them the most.**


	44. Dragon Slayers

**A/N: Happy Birthday to The Red Swordsman! I know the last chapter was meant to be the finale, but I saved one last adventure for my masterpiece. Now then, join me for the last joint adventure of the Moonlit Black Cats, the Sleeping Knights, and even the Furin Kazan guilds!**

**A week before Michael and Shino's wedding...**

* * *

Dragon Slayers

"Everyone ready to do this?" Kirito asked the assembled group. Gathered together were the Moonlit Black Cats, the Sleeping Knights, Agil, Silica, Lisbeth, and the Furin Kazan guild. It was the biggest effective hunting party that they had ever gathered together, and for no small reason.

Today, the joint effort would be hunting one of the ultimate monsters in the world of the Bionicle. Mataras' mask hid his grin as he thought of the quarry they sought today. Down below the group was the city of Metru Nui. They had all gathered at the peak of the Coliseum, above the clouds.

"Me and my guys are ready to rock, Kirito," Klein grinned as he gave his old friend a thumbs-up. "This is gonna be a battle for the ages."

"As one who also survived Aincrad, I think he speaks correctly," Mataras said quietly. "If nothing else, the level of excitement may well match the battle against the Gleam Eyes."

"You mean when you two showed off for the first time?" Asuna teased her friend and boyfriend lightly.

"Something like that," Kirito nodded.

"I'm looking forward to pulling off another impossible mission with you guys," Yuuki grinned, her slender blade in hand while her Earth Toa armor gleamed in the light of the twin suns of Metru Nui. Her guild echoed the sentiment with a chorus of agreements.

"Ya know, when you first called me up for this, I thought you'd found a Tahtorak," Agil grinned as he readied his massive axe, his bronze Toa of Stone armor moving smoothly despite its bulk. "This is gonna be even better that I woulda thought!"

"How did you find out about this quest?" Silica asked her friends.

"Argo tipped us off," Kirito grinned. "And it wasn't cheap, either, so we'd better give this our A-game."

"Even if a price hadn't been involved in finding this quest, a Kanohi Dragon should not be taken lightly," Sinon said with a slight frown. "You guys sure we're up to this?"

"According to the original stories, the Kanohi Dragon was defeated by a team of eleven Toa, four of which were Toa of Ice," Mataras replied. "Between you, Asuna, Nori, and Klein's man…" he made a gesture towards one of Klein's guild members, "I think we've already got the numbers covered."

"The fight also took a month and wasted most of the city in the process," Agil reminded his younger friend.

"The maps will be fine, if that's what you're worried about," Litrosh said as he inspected his twin blades.

"With the latest updates, certain quests can take you to parallel maps so that the main server maps remain unaffected by major story events," Yui explained. "We can go all-out with worrying about other people getting in the way."

"Or trying to steal the kill," Mataras said in an undertone.

"C'mon, let's get started already!" Yuuki said excitedly.

"How does this quest begin, Brother?" Sachi asked as she looked up at her Toa of Fire companion.

"Ask Kirito- he's the one leading this party," Mataras shrugged. He had been too busy planning his wedding to pay any real attention to the details of the quest. All he knew was that the Kanohi Dragon needed killing, and he was just the Toa for the job.

"According to Argo, from this vantage point on top of the Coliseum, you can see an abandoned boat near the Great Barrier that surrounds Metru Nui," Kirito explained. "Once we reach the boat, the quest should begin."

"How big is the boat?" Sinon asked as she and the others with x-ray vision masks began to search the area he had described.

"No bigger than enough to fit three Toa," Kirito replied.

"Found it," Sinon said as she pointed with her crossbow.

"That was fast," Lisbeth said admiringly.

"Quick eyes make for a quick aim, right?" Mataras grinned as he put an arm around his fiancé's shoulders. She flushed a bit, but no one could see the expression being covered by her mask, so she didn't mind too much. Still…

"Okay, smooth guy, let's get moving," she said as she activated her flight equipment. The others were quick to follow her suit, heading straight for the boat she had spotted.

"Hey, tell me something!" Asuna shouted to be heard above the rushing wind and sound of flight jets and turbines. "What does the boat have to do with the quest? Seems kinda random!"

"Again, if you knew the original story, you'd know the answer to that," Mataras replied. "The Dark Hunters sent three of their members to set the Kanohi Dragon loose on the city. They came here in a boat like we've been told about. After setting the dragon free, they retreated back to their base and were not heard from again for some time."

"Apparently in this game, they failed in their mission for some reason," Kirito added.

"What do you think happened?" Sachi asked.

"There are a lot of Proto Drakes in this part of the sea," Silica suggested. "Maybe they were killed by them?"

"Proto Drakes aren't hostile rahi," Agil shook his head. "I doubt that they did it. Maybe a Razor Whale?"

"More likely a school of Tarakava," Lisbeth countered. "Those things are deadly in a group."

"What about some Sea Spiders?" Asuna asked with a shudder. "Those things are just nasty."

"They don't work in groups, and I don't think that any one of those things could take a Dark Hunter," Agil answered.

"None of those could have killed a single Dark Hunter, let alone three," Sinon interjected. "Any of you fought a Dark hunter?" When everyone but Mataras gave negative signs, she said, "Didn't think so. They're tough, and not to mention after you kill one, their mobs react to you with extreme hostility."

"Tell me about it," Mataras muttered. "I can't set foot on the southern islands without at least one of those things trying to hunt me down."

"We get it, they're dangerous," Lisbeth sighed as they drew close to the waters. "What's your point?"

"We're just wondering what could be so strong that it could kill three of the most dangerous mobs in the game without leaving a trace," Sinon replied flatly. The question brought a grim silence on the group.

* * *

They descended on the boat without another word, Kirito and Mataras landing on the wooden item. As soon as they did, a quest flag appeared, which Kirito opened swiftly. "Do you wish to begin the flashpoint quest 'Wrath of the Ancient Flame'?" he read aloud. Looking up at everyone, who readied their weapons, he hit the confirm button. The menu disappeared, but nothing else happened.

The boys frowned and looked up at the sky in confusion. "I don't get it," Kirito said. "That should have done something, right?"

"Maybe we have to enter the story zone somehow?" Sachi suggested.

"Then where's the entry point?" Leafa wondered aloud.

"Sinon?" Mataras asked as he looked up at his wife-to-be.

"Already on it," she said as he mask glowed lightly and she began using her mask of x-ray vision to pierce the clouds above. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "Nothing. Sorry, guys."

"Well, my menu's showing that we've started the quest…" Klein said as he put away his menu. "So the entry point's gotta be around here somewhere…"

"Wait a second," Mataras said with a frown before he slapped his mask. "Idiot!"

"What?" Kirito asked.

"It's under the water, in a cave somewhere in the Great Barrier," Mataras scowled. "I can't believe I forgot that."

"Oh, right…" Agil said as he came to the same conclusion. "The thing was in a cave sealed by a one-hundred-foot-thick block a ice."

"Then we go under," Kirito said. "Those of you with masks of water breathing, do your thing. Everyone else, make sure you share your speed and x-ray abilities. Klein, use your Suletu to detect any mobs coming our way." The members of the large party that met his requirements went to work, and they all dove into the water with a collective splash that could be seen from the Ga-Metru shoreline.

The first thing they noticed was that the water felt cold. Not as cold as the sea near Ko-Metru, which Klein's guild had discovered could actually damage certain Toa if they were exposed to it for long enough, but colder than they had expected.

"Am I the only one getting the chills here?" Lisbeth remarked.

"I haven't noticed anything," Sinon said with a shrug.

"With your natural resistance to cold, that shouldn't surprise me," Mataras said. "But Lisbeth is right. It's definitely a lot colder than it should be down here."

"Hey man, I'm picking up on two Tarakava heading our way," Klein said as he pointed further down into the dark waters. Sure enough, within a moment, the two monsters were rising out of the water at top speed.

"Sinon, Asuna, you got this?" Kirito asked.

"No," Mataras said as he brandished his sword, which started to glow with heat. "The Ice Toa need to conserve their power as much as possible until we fight the dragon."

"And what are you gonna do, relax them into leaving us alone with a hot bath?" Kirito remarked with a smirk.

"No, I'm going to agro them while Sachi does something a little more in the way of damaging them," Mataras replied sharply. Sure enough, the two aquatic beasts were drawn to the heat of his sword, and Sachi was able to use her mask of stealth to flank them undetected.

The first they knew that she was there was when a sudden riptide slammed them into the stone face of the Great Barrier. Without waiting for any urging from the leaders of the group, Agil caused stone spikes to erupt out of the wall and spear the mobs. The double impact was more that their health points could endure, and they shattered into polygons that faded into the darkness.

"Anything else around?" Kirito asked Klein.

"Just a Photo Drake, but it ain't hostile," the Toa of Fire reported. "I'll let you know once I pick up on anything else."

"Cool," Kirito nodded. "Water Toa, see if you can sense any weird currents down here. Toa of Stone, try scanning the wall for any caves or hidden recesses in the rock. Everyone else, look the old-fashioned way." Once again, they moved to do what he said swiftly.

All of them were seasoned fighters of many campaigns, so there was no bickering about who was supposed to be giving orders. Everyone there knew of Kirito's history on the front lines and the role he played in clearing Aincrad. Not even Mataras, the wildest of them all, would question his orders. He knew what he was doing, and they trusted him.

* * *

It was Siune who found the entrance to the flashpoint. As a Toa of Water, she was sensitive to the surrounding environment more than most of the others, and so she was able to sense where the underwater current had a disturbance to its flow, and where the cold seemed to be emanating from.

She waved Tecchi over once she found a portion of the stone barrier that didn't seem quite in keeping with its surrounding area. When he placed his armored hands on the stone, he nodded and readied the massive club he carried as a Toa. With a mighty swing, he smashed the rock to splinters, revealing a tunnel that was shortly blocked by a solid wall of ice.

They waved their comrades over to inspect the entrance. Once they had gotten there, Kirito said, "I'll bet that once we pass through the entrance, we'll be in the flashpoint."

"Sounds good to me," Mataras said as he swam forward. "Let's get this mission started."

Their hunch was correct. As soon as they passed through the mouth of the tunnel, the air rippled around them, signaling a game transition, though the environment appeared completely identical to the main map so far. Eyeing the wall of ice critically, Sinon asked, "How thick did you guys say this thing was?"

"According to the original story, a hundred feet, give or take a few yards," Mataras replied grimly. "Let's get to work." Litrosh attached himself to his comrade's back and opened fire with his cordak revolver. The ice shed a few chunks, but it was too well-made to be broken so easily.

"This might take a while," the former dragon said flatly.

"Then let's go," Kirito said as he began unleashing shadow bursts at the solid ice. "Ice Toa, follow Mataras' advice and don't use your elemental power as much as you can. We'll need you fresh for the dragon."

With that, the assembled Toa unleashed various projectiles from weaponry, elemental powers, and mask powers. Those of them that were Toa Inika did not use their elemental powers, as the lightning that was woven into their powers would pose a health risk to the other Toa in the water with them. Even with nineteen Toa and two Av-Matoran working together, the progress was slow. It took them roughly half an hour to smash their way through the thick ice until the last fragment crumbled away to reveal a pitch-black section of the cave.

Everyone floated in the water, confused. It was Silica that voiced the thoughts of everyone present, though. "Um…? Where's the dragon?" she wondered aloud.

"Hey, Klein?" Kirito asked his friend.

"Huh? Oh yeah, mask of telepathy," he said as he focused on the mask power. The instant the mask began to glow, the temperature of the water began to rise to a more comfortable level.

"Thanks, Mataras," Yuuki said as she felt the chill leave her biomechanical limbs. "This feels way better."

"I'm not doing that," Mataras frowned.

"Oh, then is it Jun?" Silica asked.

"Nope," he shook his head. "If I used my powers down here, I'd end up electrocuting all of us. 'Sides, I'm not good enough to make heat without flame."

"Oh crap!" Klein suddenly cried out as the temperature started to spike to a less comfortable level. "We gotta get outta here!"

"Why?" Asuna asked with a frown.

"Because _that_," Mataras said grimly, suddenly realizing why the cave appeared to be so dark in front of them. They were far down in the sea, but not far enough for it to be this dark. As if to punctuate his words, a massive pair of red eyes blazed to life not twenty feet in front of them all.

"Everyone that can, masks of speed, power, and levitation!" Kirito snapped. The group bolted from the cave as fast as the game limiters would allow them to, swimming the hundred-odd feet in mere seconds. All the while, the water grew even hotter around them, to the point where it was near-boiling.

The second they made it out of the cave, something massive shot out at incredible speed, just missing all of them. The group leaders had decided without speaking that it would be safer to temporarily dive deeper down instead of going up, as that was where the dragon was likely to head.

Again, their instincts proved correct. As soon as it was free of the cave, it let out a roar and shot towards the surface of the water, and towards the city. However, it did not fly above the surface of the water, to their surprise. It stayed just below the surface and made a beeline for the city's edge.

"We gotta fight _that_?!" Lisbeth shouted. "Are you guys all crazy?!"

"Absolutely," Mataras grinned. "Come, I think I know where it's going."

"The Great Furnace?" Agil asked.

"The biggest heat source in the city," Kirito nodded as they all followed the beast. "It makes sense. Isn't that what it did in the original story?"

"That's correct," Yui nodded while attaching herself to her mother's back. "Also, I have noticed that while we appear to be back in the main map, this is not the case. We are still in the flashpoint."

"So we can still go all-out?" Kirito asked.

"Aye," Litrosh nodded. "And judging from the stats on the Kanohi Dragon, it would be foolish to do anything otherwise."

* * *

As soon as they rose above the surface, Kirito ordered the team to head straight for Ta-Metru. He wanted to get there ahead of it and stage an ambush as well as they could, though just how effective an ambush would be against such a monster, he had no idea.

"Shouldn't we be following it and try to prevent it from getting to the furnace in the first place?" Talken asked.

"Sure, if you want to fight that thing in the Onu-Metru Archives along with whatever else they keep down there as living exhibits," Mataras replied. "I'm with Kirito- it's better to hunt a rahi like this out in the open, with room to move. Fighting it in an enclosed space is just suicide."

"I think fighting that thing period is suicide!" Lisbeth shouted.

"No one asked you," Mataras replied with a snarky tone. "Now let's get a move on."

When they reached the building that served as the incredible heat source of Ta-Metru, Mataras and Kirito had everyone halt and hover above the building. "What are we waiting for?" Yuuki asked impatiently, eager to start the fight.

"For what's bound to happen," Mataras answered. "Once we hear the Kanohi Dragon enter the Great Furnace, we're going to drop it on its ugly head."

"How are we gonna do that?" Agil asked, though he already suspected the answer.

"The Toa of Earth need to make a bioquake to weaken the building, while the Stone Toa collapse it from its base," Kirito answered, keeping his twin blades ready for action.

"Then let's get to it!" Yuuki grinned as she flew down to the ground and planted her sword in the ground. The other Toa of Earth, Lisbeth and one of Klein's men, followed suit, making an effective triangle around the massive building.

Kirito gave them a signal, and they went to work, softening the ground underneath their feet before unleashing a pulse of energy that made the whole sector rumble, and weakening the structure's foundations greatly. The three of them were about to congratulate one another when they realized that the rumbling had yet to cease, despite the fact that they had stopped using their elemental powers.

"It's coming up," Mataras said quietly.

"Ice Toa to the ready!" Kirito ordered. "Toa of Stone, move in!"

"Earth Toa, get out of there, now!" Mataras shouted at the same time. They needed no further urging. They could all hear the rumble of the angry rahi as it moved beneath the surface of the furnace.

"Hold for the signal!" Kirito shouted to be heard above the noise.

"Your signal?!" Tecchi asked.

"No, the dragon's" Mataras said as Litrosh took aim with the cordak revolver. "As soon as we hear it come up, drop the hammer." The other's nodded their understanding and moved into position.

They didn't have to wait long. With a roar that shook Ta-Metru, the Kanohi Dragon leaped into the flames of the Great Furnace, howling with delight as it was revitalized from its millennia-long cold slumber. As it did, the Toa of Stone unleashed their power on the mighty structure.

The building was well-made, there was no doubt about that. But against the power of the Kanohi Dragon, and multiple Toa of Earth and Stone, it had no chance of survival. With a loud _CRASH,_ the structure came down atop the mighty beast. Dust, debris, and hot cinders flew everywhere.

"Think that did it?" Lisbeth asked hopefully. The looks she received from her teammates led her to shrug and say, "It doesn't hurt to be a little optimistic."

"It _does_ hurt to delude yourself with false hope, though," Mataras said flatly. Lisbeth shot him a glare for a second. Had anyone else said it, she wouldn't have minded so much. But he knew very well how much his rejection had hurt her, and she hated that he seemed to rub it in at every opportunity she gave him.

"Focus, both of you," Asuna said sternly. "I think it's about to come up." Sure enough, as soon as the words left her mouth, the beast let out a roar and rose above the rubble upon massive wings.

For a moment, all of them, even Mataras, were taken aback by the sheer size of the monster. It was easily as big as the Coliseum was tall, and the heat it gave off rivaled that of the Great Furnace itself. The scales on it appeared sturdy, though what drew their attention most about its body was what appeared to be several kanohi masks fused to its hide. The jaws on it were big enough to swallow the entire group whole and still have room for dessert. Its eyes blazed red with hate and hunger, and it eyed the Toa viciously.

"Uh…" Silica said nervously in a small voice. "I think we made it mad."

"Yui, Litrosh?" Kirito asked. "Did that hurt it?"

"Not very much," Litrosh said heavily.

"Then this will be a long fight," Mataras said as he shot up above the others. "Let's get it started!" His shout galvanized the others into action, as they began to unleash elemental and projectile attacks on it.

"Everyone but Fire Toa, stay away from close-quarters combat!" Kirito shouted as he unleashed shadow blasts at the monster. "That heat will melt you at close range, especially Ice Toa!"

"Those of us with flames should use our powers as little as possible," Mataras added. "We'll only make this thing stronger!"

"Think we can lure it to Ko-Metru?" Sinon asked. "The cold would weaken it substantially, and we would have the advantage."

"I doubt it," Mataras shook his head as he fired missiles from his shoulder. Litrosh transferred from his back to Sinon's to give her ice a power boost while they spoke. "If we left, chances are that it would simply stay here to heal whatever little damage we've done to it."

"What if we drove it back into Ko-Metru?" Asuna asked as she unleashed pure cold from her rapier. "If we hit it hard enough-"

"It would take a Nova blast to send that thing into Ko-Metru," Mataras interrupted. "Not to mention that we'd have to get it past the Coliseum, or go through Le-Metru first before we got the ice region."

"What about your mask of dimensions?" Sinon suggested.

"I could open up a portal big enough, yes," Mataras said after a brief moment. "But the problem would be forcing it inside." He was about to add more, but apparently the dragon decided that it'd had quite enough of being stung by the annoying beings facing it.

Letting loose a mighty roar, it unleashed a river of fire half the length of Le-Metru that forced the assembled Toa to scatter like leaves in the wind. "Spread out!" Kirito ordered. "If we bunch up, he can just eat us or let loose another one of those!" Everyone moved to surround the beast with their numbers, careful not pair up too closely with anyone, lest they become a prime target for the beast.

"Hey, Kirito!" Sinon shouted. When she had his attention, she shouted, "Mataras can open up a portal to Ko-Metru, but we need to force it inside! Any ideas?!"

Kirito's thoughts raced furiously before he chanced upon a plot. "Yeah!" he shouted. Turning to address the group, he called out, "Listen up! All Toa of Air, get ready to use all the power you can just shy of a Nova Blast! And aim for the wings!"

"What'd you have in mind?!" Leafa called out.

"Mataras is gonna get us and the dragon to Ko-Metru, where we'll have an advantage!" he shouted back. "But we need to force the dragon inside the portal once it's open!" The others understood and moved to arrange the trap.

The Kanohi Dragon noticed the green Toa gathering together, and it prepared to unleash another breath attack at them. Agil noticed this, and shouted, "Hold still, baby!" He unleashed his elemental power to hurl a building from its foundations to strike the monster in the head. It didn't do much damage, but it definitely knocked off its aim and got its attention.

In the meantime, Mataras was focusing all of his efforts into making as big a portal as he possibly could. The effort would have caused a nosebleed were he in the real world, but in the virtual world, there was no blood. Once he sensed that he had enough power gather, he unleashed the portal. The resulting gate into Ko-Metru was large enough to reveal several Knowledge Towers standing tall and proud amidst the icy region.

"_Now!_" Kirito shouted. The Toa of Air unleashed tornado-force winds at the dragon, specifically aiming for the wings that carried it through the sky. The winds caught the mighty canopies and sent it flying backwards, very much against its will if the roar it unleashed was anything to go by.

"Does a lot of yelling, doesn't it?" Sinon grinned as she fired her crossbow with unnerving precision to hit it inside the mouth. The combined cold and lightning was an unpleasant sensation, and the monster snapped his jaws shut to shatter the ice.

"Follow it!" Kirito shouted as he dove into the portal after it. Everyone was quick to follow, with Mataras being the last to enter the gateway.

The cold air was refreshing compared to the brutal heat of Ta-Metru, the group thought. "Okay, now what?" Asuna asked.

"Now we let loose and keep him from getting back to Ta-Metru," Kirito said as he unleashed shadow beams from his swords. "Though if it decided to charge us…"

Before he could finish the thought, the beast righted itself in the air, snapped its jaws angrily and started to take to the sky above them in order to head back to the land of heat. Its own body temperature was causing the ice around it to melt, but that wouldn't last long without a constant heat source, like the Lava Rivers that ran through the city's industrial area.

Before anyone else could make a move, though, the beats suddenly began to slow down as a golden aura enveloped it. It wasn't losing momentum, though, like one would think if was moving as slow as it was.

"What the…?" Leafa said aloud.

The group was started when Mataras grunted, "What… are you… waiting for?!" They looked over to see his mask glowing the same golden aura that had surrounded the Kanohi Dragon. "I can't… hold back time… forever!"

"Move in!" Kirito shouted, realizing what an immense effort Mataras was making to hold the dragon in place. "Hit it hard and fast, but don't get caught in the time field!"

"What do we do?" Klein asked on behalf of the Fire Toa. "We can't use our elemental powers, and close-ups are out now."

"Use projectiles if you have them," Kirito replied as he unleashed darkness from his swords again. "If not, cut out pieces of the ice around us and chuck 'em at it." The orders had been given, and the group moved to obey again.

Mataras was able to freeze the dragon for just a few minutes, an impressive feat by any account. The legendary masks in the game required an intense level of focus that few could boast, let alone maintain. And by the time he was weakened enough that the time field collapsed, the dragon was substantially weakened by the efforts of the combined guilds. The cold wasn't helping it either.

But it was not about to just lie down and surrender just yet. The game had programmed the AI to believe that it had been trapped for nearly eighty millennia, and it would not sell its freedom lightly. Letting loose a bellow that cracked some of the Knowledge Towers with the force of its volume, the Kanohi Dragon felt itself being freed from the stasis field, and shot towards the Coliseum, beyond which lay the heat of Ta-Metru.

"Oh no, you don't" Sinon growled. "Asuna, Nori! Target the wings with everything you got!" They unleashed ice at the wings keeping the monster airborne, freezing them solid and causing it to crash to the cold ground from loss of altitude.

The beast tried to flap its canopies, but once it hit the ground, the ice shattered, destroying its wings and robbing its ability to fly. It hit the frozen earth so hard, the entire metru was shaken, and several of the towers, already weakened by the fierce battle, collapsed from the impact. One even landed on the monster's head, stunning it for just a moment.

Not even waiting for the order to attack, everyone lay into the beast with as much power as they could. The four Toa of Ice worked on pinning its legs with bindings formed from both their own energy and the ice under their feet.

The beast struggled vigorously, but everyone else kept pounding on it too hard and fast for it to decide which one to attack. It seemed that victory was at hand for all of them when the unexpected occurred.

The Kanohi dragon let out one last, desperate roar, right before it unleashed a heat burst so powerful, it melted everyone in the party, save for Mataras, who had stayed back to recover from the effects of using his mask. He looked on in shock as the Kanohi Dragon staggered to its feet and started lumbering away from the steam and carnage.

"That…" he gasped wide-eyed. "How could it…?" It simply boggled his mind that everyone had been wiped out in a single instant. He could see the flickering heart stones of all of his comrades in the fog of steam that the monster had left behind.

He watched the thing staggering back towards Ta-Metru, and he hardened his gaze. "If the task falls to me, I shall slay you on my own, then," he growled as he activated his jets and flew ahead of the beast, back towards the molten metru.

* * *

He waited at the entrance to the city district with patience, making sure that his health and elemental power gauge were full. He stood with his sword drawn and blasters at the ready.

He didn't have to wait for too long. As soon as the lumbering monster came into view, he shot a building next to it to get its attention. It roared at him with hate, angry that there was still someone in the way of its food source.

"I give you this one chance to turn back and leave this land in peace," Mataras shot back. "If you do not, I will be forced to end you." The monster gave its answer in the form of a roar as it charged at him with all of its remaining strength, obviously intending to eat him or crush him.

"Very well, you leave me no choice, master of sky and flame," Mataras said as he stabbed his sword into the ground, ignoring the oncoming monster. Focusing his elemental power in earnest for the first time since the battle began, he began drawing the heat of the metru into himself.

He quickly began to glow with the brilliance and heat of a star, the heat melting even the flame-resistant buildings around him. The Kanohi Dragon snarled in rage as it realized that the thing in front of it was taking all of the heat in the area for itself. Heat that it needed to survive and heal before it could claim the rest of the land just as it had before the little ones had come and wrested the land away from it.

Mataras was aware of the beast redoubling its speed, but he ignored it for the moment, choosing instead to focus on absorbing as much heat as he could. The power inside him was building to a painful level now, but he ignored it and kept going.

Only when the Kanohi Dragon came within striking distance did he move. Leaping out of the way of its deadly claws, he soared high above its reach, his sword in hand. "This is the land of the twin suns, the City of Legends," he said to his mighty adversary. "Your time is long past, and your desecration of this place will not be allowed." He began to descend, his sword now blazing with white-hot flames that would have put the Fire Pits to shame. "Hear me, Dragon! I am the Toa of Aincrad, Mataras! I now lay thee waste with my power, and expel thy vast defilement!" He was nearly on top of it now. "I banish thee!"

The dragon opened its jaws wide to devour him just as he swung with all of his might and power. "_DIE!_" he roared. He landed hard on the street and rolled for several yards, but he looked up to see the monster, unmoving and silent.

Then, with one, final, resounding crash, the beast fell limp on the street, the top half of its head rolling away from the corpse before the whole thing exploded into thousands of blue-and-green shards.

Mataras got to his feet and spun his sword, which was still glowing with intense heat, in a reverse circle before placing it on his back, the heat inconsequential to his Toa of Fire Armor. As he walked towards the Coliseum, where he had a feeling that the quest would end, he thought, _If this had been Aincrad, everyone I know and love would have been killed… Would I have fought differently? Would the others?_

And these thoughts troubled him greatly, despite his victory.

* * *

Once he had finished the dialogue with Turaga Dume, he exited the flashpoint and messaged everyone to meet him at their usual Metru Nui hang-out spot. Once everyone was gathered in the lounge of the Le-Metru Moto-Hub, he took his fiancé and the other Black Cats to address his thoughts.

"Do you think we fought the wrong way?" he said to finish his thoughts.

"No, I don't," Sinon answered immediately. "I know how bad SAO was for you, but you have to remember that we're not in there anymore. Death in this world means nothing anymore."

"Not for us," Kirito said with a shake of his head. "Truth is, I was having similar thoughts after we all got toasted. If we'd been in Old Aincrad, we'd all be dead. That's something I don't wanna take for granted."

That was the crux of the matter, they all knew. Sinon had briefly encountered the terror of facing death in the virtual world, but she hadn't been forced to live with it, day in and day out for years. She could try to empathize, but she couldn't really understand where they were all coming from.

"So, you want us to try and treat this like it's the same as reality?" Sinon asked after a moment. "Sorry, but if we did that, wouldn't we be no better than Death Kanoka?"

The others gave a start at the name. She also had a good point, they knew. By treating this world as though it was just as real as the real world, they could end up crossing a line that experience told them was very dangerous indeed.

"I think…" Sachi said after a moment. "That life is precious no matter where we are. Mataras and Kirito are right on that score. We should strive to protect it no matter what, even in this world. Because if we don't, our disregard for it here could eventually bleed over into the real world. And the memories we make here together are real, too. But there are things that matter in the real world that we can never have in this one. Like Mataras and Sinon getting married, for example." The couple flushed a bit, but she kept speaking to say, "There are things in the real world you can do that you can't in here. So it's important to value the significance of both worlds equally."

For a moment, no one said anything. Then Mataras put a hand on her blue hair and smiled. "Well said, Sachi," he said. "You've grown very wise."

"Thanks to you," she grinned back at him. "You saved my life all that time ago, after all."

"No," he said with a very definite shake of his head. "I may have protected your life, but you helped save my spirit. Thank you."

* * *

**Kirito: Man, that was AWESOME!**

**Asuna: I know! What other kinds of special chapters can we expect to see in the future?**

**Mataras: None.**

**Kirito: Haha, very funny. Seriously, when's the next chapter gonna be out?**

**Mataras: Never. This is where the story ends for good.**

**Leafa: Wha-?! But you had so much fun writing this!**

**Mataras: I did. But all good things do have to end sooner or later, otherwise we'd lose our appreciation for them. And though this encore was amazing to write, I can't keep coming back to the same stories again and again. The story had its time and place, but now it's over. And though I'll miss it, I will not forget one part of this adventure. I won't forget any of the messages and reviews I received on behalf of this story.**

**I will always remember the days when I was the Toa of Aincrad.**


End file.
